The Recovered Life of Severus Snape
by R.H. Gardner
Summary: A sequel to "The Stolen Life of Severus Snape", this story continues what happens after Dumbledore takes away Snape's happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

**The Recovered Life of Severus Snape**

Minerva McGonagall was dead. Harry Potter sat in a lawyer's office for the reading of her will with a feeling of unreality. Professor McGonagall had seemed to him the type of person that would live forever, her will strong enough to kick Death out the door should he come knocking. He had not seen her in a few years so had not seen the deterioration of her body, eaten away by cancer.

There were a few others in the room, a couple of distant relatives, a representative from Hogwarts. He was the only one there who had known her at school. The bulk of her estate had been distributed among those relatives and Hogwarts. So far, his name had not been mentioned. He began to wonder why he was there at all. Finally, the lawyer turned to him.

"And to Mr. Harry Potter, I am entrusting him to deliver the final items in my possession to a certain family. Before undertaking this duty, he must make an unbreakable vow that he will not reveal the identity of this family to anyone, not his wife, and especially not to Ron Weasley. That boy could never keep a secret." The lawyer paused, looking over his spectacles at Harry Potter, with a look that said he wasn't sure if Harry Potter was trustworthy. "If he is not willing to make this vow, the next person on the list will be asked to deliver the items."

Harry's mind was whirling, his curiosity galloping towards agreement. Who was this family and what made their identity so dangerous that it must be kept secret?

"I will do it."

"Well then, you will make the vow with the representative from Hogwarts." At Harry's look, the lawyer explained, "I am what you call a muggle but my wife is a witch. Many in the magic community use my services."

Harry took hold of the arm of the other man. One of the distant relatives stepped forward with a wand. "Will you, Harry Potter, promise to deliver the items bequeathed by Minvera McGonagall to the family mentioned in the letter?"

"I will." As he uttered these words, he felt his arm tingle as tongues of flame licked around their clasped hands.

"And will you, Harry Potter, promise to keep the identity of this family a secret from all, unless they choose to reveal themselves, until your death day?"

"I will." This time, instead of a tingle, a sharp pain snaked its way up his arm.

"Wonderful," said the lawyer. "Here are the instructions containing the identity and the address of the family."

He was handed a sealed envelope. A sliver of smoke escaped when he opened the envelope. Even more improbable than the death of Professor McGonagall was the identity of the recipients of the bequest. He was alive, and, as incredible as it seemed, he had a family.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summer 1992**

_When the truth is found to be lies  
and all the joy within you dies_

Sylvie Turner looked out of the window with growing irritation. For a week now, she had been feeling as if something had gone terribly wrong. She was unaccountably depressed. All she wanted to do was sleep, and dream of a certain black haired man with a hook nose and dark eyes. He had haunted her slumber this past week. The dreams differed but the feeling was the same. She had to reach this man but her way was always obstructed. Last night, she had dreamt that she tried to call him on the phone but she couldn't press the right numbers. She tried over and over again, getting increasingly frustrated. She awoke every morning with feelings of hopelessness and despair. She had searched her memory over and over again of past occurrences that might explain these dreams and feelings but could not identify any reason. Absolutely nothing had happened to account for it. "Maybe that's the problem," she thought, "absolutely nothing has happened."

'I'm going to be 30 next month and what have I done with my life. God, I sound like my mother. My philosophy has been, "We're here for a good time, not a long time." Lately, that hasn't felt good enough.'

Sylvie's self pity was interrupted by an unusual sight. There was an owl flying towards her house in the afternoon. Even more unusual, the owl was flying towards her house in the middle of Toronto. Wildlife in Toronto was restricted to raccoons, rats and the twentysomethings on the prowl. Sylvie quickly opened the door. The owl flew in, dropped its letter on the bench at the front door and took off again.

Sylvie pounced on the letter. It was addressed to her mother, from Hogwarts. "Why would my mother get a letter from there", wondered Sylvie. She was reaching for her wand to open it without disturbing the seal when her mother called out, "Was that something for me?"

'God, my mother has the ears of a hawk, well, a snowy owl to be precise.'

Sylvie's mother took the letter and walked away. Sylvie followed, asking, "Why do you have a letter from Hogwarts, mother. Are you thinking of teaching there?"

"Oh, not me, dear. I'm thinking of someone else teaching there."

"Like who? Like me? Mother, what have you done?"

"Well, it doesn't matter now. Professor Dumbledore doesn't have a spot for you."

Sylvie almost passed out. This was it. This was the something that was terribly wrong. She was supposed to go to Hogwarts. She knew it like she knew her name. It made absolutely no sense but she felt like someone had stolen all meaning from her and left an empty shell.

Her mother looked in alarm at her daughter crumpled on the floor. "Sylvie, what is the matter?"

She choked out through her sobs. "I'm supposed to go to Hogwarts. I must go to Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"Because, I just must." She sat up. "I know it makes no sense but I've had a profound feeling all week that something is drastically wrong and when you just told me about Hogwarts, I felt like someone had ripped out my soul." She looked up at her mother, tears streaming down her face.

"I've noticed that you've been mopey lately but I didn't know it was this bad. Why didn't you tell me?" She moved her daughter onto the couch and sat beside her, holding her hands.

"What could I tell you. I don't know why I've been feeling this way. There is no external reason. But when I heard about that letter, well, I know this is the reason for my mood. I've been having dreams for the last week. In the dreams, I'm trying to reach a man but I can never come close to him. Something always happens to stop me. I think that I'm supposed to meet that man at Hogwarts and now I won't."

"Do you know who he is?"

"In my dreams I know his identity, but when I wake up, I have no idea who he is. I don't recognize him."

A voice sounded from the front door, "Sylvie, are you there? Are you ready for our lunch date?" It was Suzy, her best friend.

"We're in here, Suzy," her mother called out.

The opposite of Sylvie appeared at the door. Sylvie was short, with curly dark hair, blue eyes, muscular. Suzy was tall, thin, with large brown eyes and straight blond hair cut in a bob. "What the hell is the matter with you. You look like you've gone a round with a Hungarian Horntail."

This brought on a fresh round of tears. Sylvie's mother explained the situation to Suzy. She jumped up, "I have an idea. I'll be right back."

She returned with a pad of paper and a pencil. "Suzy, you're skilled at drawing. If Sylvie describes her mystery man to you, perhaps we can find out who he is. The new instructor at school went to Hogwarts. He might recognize him."

Sylvie looked up with some hope. If she knew who he was, perhaps she could arrange an 'accidental' meeting outside of Hogwarts. Suzy drew a man with long greasy hair, hooked nose, piercing eyes. "He's not your usual type. This is your dream man?"

"That's him. That's the man who has been in my dreams for the past week."

Siobhan walked over to the fireplace and called, "James Tucker, are you available?"

A young man with short brown hair, dressed in wizard robes stepped out of the fireplace. "Professor Turner, what can I do for you?"

"We need your help identifying someone. He may be a professor at Hogwarts. Suzy, the drawing please."

James Tucker took a quick look at the drawing. "Why that's Professor Snape. That's a good likeness. You are very talented." Suzy turned red at the compliment. Sylvie looked sharply at her friend. Suzy was very confident, like herself. It was unusual for her to be flustered. Perhaps she fancied James Tucker.

"Professor Snape," she whispered, but she felt nothing at hearing his name.

"Tell us about Professor Snape," prodded her mother.

"He teaches Potions at Hogwarts. He's very strict, not especially liked by the students, except maybe by the Slytherins. He's the head of that house."

"What's his first name," Sylvie asked.

He thought for a moment. "It's Severus. That's right. His first name is Severus."

She felt a moment of recognition when he said the name. Severus. Yes, that meant something to her. Severus. She rolled the name around in her mind. Sev. That sounded better.

"What's a Slytherin," asked Suzy.

He smiled at Suzy as he explained about the four houses that made up Hogwarts. She watched her friend. Suzy was flirting, subtle, but she was definitely flirting and he was definitely responding to it. Maybe Suzy was getting tired of the single life as well. She skillfully turned the conversation to the fact that he was new to Canada and that she could show him the sights of Toronto. He left with a date made for Saturday. He was good looking and had that irresistible English accent. She looked at Suzy's picture. If this was the man she was supposed to be with, she would have her own English accent.

"Why, mother? Why do I feel that I must be with this man but fate is dictating that I cannot be with this man."

"I don't know, Sylvie. There's only one thing to do. We have to go visit Nona."

…

Sylvie's great-grandmother, who everyone called Nona, lived by herself in a comfortable house, secluded in the woods in Central Ontario. Whereas her granddaughter and great-granddaughter had adopted many of the non-magical ways, she lived much as she had when her family first came to Canada, using magic extensively in her daily living. She made an exception by having a telephone. That way, she could talk to some of her non-magic family, like her great-grandson.

She was preparing her afternoon tea when a crackle at the fireplace alerted her to visitors. Wrapping the three women in her arms for a quick hug, she greeted her granddaughter, great-granddaughter and Suzy. Since Suzy had often accompanied Sylvie on visits, she was well acquainted with her great-granddaughter's friend.

"What brings you here unannounced in the middle of the day?"

Siobhan stepped forward. "Sylvie has a magical mystery that we need your help to solve."

Nona rubbed her hands together in delight. "A magical mystery! How wonderful. Things have been pretty dull around here lately. I need a good challenge. Tell me about it."

Siobhan explained the situation with help from Suzy and her picture as Sylvie had dissolved into tears again. Nona sat in her favourite chair, poured tea for her visitors, a glass of whiskey for herself. Suzy looked longingly at the whiskey, Nona had a particularly fine cellar but a quick look from Nona told her she wasn't getting any. Instead she poured another glass, forced it down Sylvie's throat. She came up sputtering. "What did you do that for?"

"To help you get a grip on yourself. You're 30, not 3. Kilpatrick women do not sit around blubbering when that bitch fate drop kicks them into a field of shite. They jump right back up and punch her in the baps." Suzy let out a nervous giggle. Truth be told, she was a little afraid of Sylvie's Nona. "Let's think about this. From what you have described, someone has changed your destiny, not an easy thing to do. Since old and powerful magic was used, it was undoubtedly performed by an old and powerful wizard, Albus Dumbledore."

"The Headmaster of Hogwarts," Siobhan said in surprise. "Why would he do that? What threat could Sylvie possibly be."

"None right now but she is obviously a threat in the future. I believe that Dumbledore took steps to change his response to Siobhan's letter from positive to negative. He came to the past and changed the present and altered the future. The reason why is what we will have to determine before we make any decisions. So, we will have to perform some old and powerful magic of our own. It will take me a week but then I'll have everything ready. Sylvie, you're staying with me. We have some work to do."

…

Nona kept Sylvie busy so at times the week seemed to leap forward like a gazelle, and at other times, especially at night, she felt like the turtle in that famous race. At last it was time. Sylvie's parents came, as well as Suzy and her brothers. The potion that had been brewing all week was ready.

Nona sat her down and looked her in the eye. "Are you absolutely positive that you want to do this. Once you have this knowledge, you won't be able to erase it. You are going see what would have happened if you had gone to Hogwarts but it's not like a movie. Once it's over, you will have the memories and emotions as if you had lived through those times. What happens might be something horrible and you will be grateful that Dumbledore changed things. You will come out of it with your mind at ease, but the opposite could happen. If your altered future was wonderful, you will have to live with the pain of what might have been. From your reaction when hearing you would not be going to Hogwarts, my vote is for the latter. You can choose not to do this, Sylvie. You can choose ignorance. The pain you feel now will fade and you will continue on a different path."

She looked at her parents. "What do you think I should do?"

Her mother started to say, "I would…" but her father interrupted. "We," he said, stressing the word, "think that you should do what you think would be best for you. We will support you in whatever decision you would make." Sylvie's mother looked like she would like to say more but her father stood beside her and squeezed her shoulder tight. She looked at her daughter and nodded.

What should she do? Nona was right. She could decide not to take the potion and she would eventually forget about Severus Snape. She would find someone else, or maybe not. Maybe she would be like her spinster great-aunt and live contentedly by herself, companionship coming from a large circle of friends. That felt like the coward's way out. She should do this, even if it meant unhappiness in the end. She had to know.

"I will take the potion." Her mother smiled, her father frowned, Suzy looked worried and her brothers leaned forward with curiosity. Nona's face was blank, not revealing her conflicted feelings about this. She led her over to the chair.

"Drink it all. When you come out of the trance, you will know everything."

Sylvie drank it down. The taste was unpleasant but bearable. She leaned back, closed her eyes, ready for the show. An intense dizziness overcame her. Just as she felt unable to keep the contents of her stomach, it cleared and she could see herself in her room, packing her suitcase. Suzy was sitting on the bed drawing her new ideal man. It was very close to the drawing she had done of Sylvie's dream man. She knew that this was Severus Snape. She watched their first meeting at Hogwarts, her flirtation, their first kiss, his agreement to become her lover. So far, this was all very exciting and enjoyable. She couldn't see what Dumbledore could possibly object to.

The school year culminated with their wedding. Pregnancy and the birth of the twins were not far behind. The experiences were coming faster. Her eyes filled with tears when she watched Severus pick up his children for the first time. The scenes now brought her immense sadness, not because there was any unhappiness but because they were so happy. These events would never happen; she would never meet Sev, fall in love, get married, have children. Why did he take all of this from her.

Things started to slow down. Voldemort was gaining strength. She guessed that Dumbledore's actions had to do with Sev's previous role as spy. Her thoughts now turned to how she could re-capture this life. Severus was unlikely to believe her. If only she had some proof. She watched as they slept, their wedding photo shining in the moonlight. Wanting so badly to have it, she was amazed when her fingers closed over the frame and she pulled it to her chest but when she tried to touch Sev, her fingers just went through his arm like a ghost. He started to moan and toss, woke up screaming.

The next scene showed him telling her that they were leaving Hogwarts at Christmas and not coming back. He had decided that the danger to her and the children was too great. The married Sylvie was crying with joy. The single Sylvie was crying with sorrow, knowing that this was the reason that Dumbledore had changed the past.

The final scene was very different from everything she had observed so far. She was not present. Dumbledore was alone, late at night, casting the spell that would change her life. The castle faded, Nona's living room came into focus. Six faces looked at her with expressions of worry, hope and fear. Her brother broke the spell by asking what was hot in the future that he could invest in today. Nona cuffed him on the back of the head.

"You're such an idiot. What do you need more money for? Look at your sister. She's devastated."

Sylvie's mother knelt down beside her and took her hand. "What happened," she asked gently.

She managed to collect herself long enough to describe her happiness and how she lost it. She unfolded her arms across her chest and showed them the wedding photo.

"That's amazing," said Nona, taking the photo from her. "I never thought that you would actually be able to take anything out of your alternate future. You have more power than you know."

"Good. Then I can use that power to get Severus back. I'm going to Hogwarts right now and get my husband."

Nona laid a restraining arm on her. "Sylvie wait. Think about this. First off, you have no idea where Hogwarts is. The exact location is a closely guarded secret. It cannot be found on any map. Second, if Dumbledore has gone to this length to keep you and Severus apart, he will certainly take steps to keep you apart now. This was no simple spell. It would have been almost impossible for him to perform. The very fact that he did tells us that he will do anything to keep you from Severus. Your husband has no idea who you are. Who do you think he will believe, a strange woman or a father figure he has known for most of his life and has trusted. That photo will prove nothing to him. And what about Lily, his first love. His mind will be firmly entrenched in the belief that he would never love another. It will be impossible to convince him otherwise."

"What are you saying," she screamed. "That I should just give up! What happened to kicking fate in the baps."

Her mother's eyebrows raised at this and her father turned his face and coughed to hide his shock. Nona sighed. "I just think that it will be better for you if you forget about Snape. Find someone else. What Dumbledore did was unconscionable but I don't see any way around it."

"I can't forget him. I love him. We were supposed to have children. Now they will never exist. It's not fair."

Nona pulled her into a hug and patted her hair. "I know, my child. I know."


	3. Chapter 3

**Fall 1992**

_The other day I got invited to a party  
But I stayed home instead  
Just me and my pal Johnny Walker  
And his brothers Black and Red  
And we drank alone, yeah  
With nobody else  
Yeah, you know when I drink alone  
I prefer to be by myself_

Sylvie contemplated the whiskey in front of her. She was finally alone, her family attending a school function. There seemed to be some sort of unspoken pact between all of them to never leave her alone, as if their presence would alleviate her dark thoughts. The summer had reflected her mood, cold and rainy. For a country that has four or five months of snow, a rotten summer was akin to cancelling Christmas. In those cold, winter months, Canadians dreamed of heat, wearing shorts and t-shirts, swimming outdoors, sun bathing. Rain every weekend and temperatures in the high teens had left many thinking of visiting Florida for their summer vacation. 'Maybe that's what I should do,' she thought, 'go live in the happiest place on earth, Disneyworld. But I don't think that all the Disney magic will take away this pain in my heart.'

The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her musings. Maybe it was a Jehovah's Witness. If she appeared at the door with devil horns and a forked tail, breathing fire, would they run as far as their self-righteous legs could take them or would they try to convert the devil herself. A quick peak out the curtain revealed Suzy. Oh well, so much for some fun.

"Have you joined the conspiracy to keep me from offing myself?"

"What are you talking about?" Suzy brushed past her into the living room.

"You're supposed to be at Devin's party tonight. But here you are. Call me suspicious, but someone always seems to be in the house. Before this summer, I could spend days and not see a soul. Now I can't even spend an hour alone."

"You're being ridiculous. I came to try to get you out of the house. Come to the party with me. Pretend to be happy and maybe you will be. It's not healthy to spend all this time moping. You should be out living your life instead of sitting around drinking by yourself and listening to George Thorogood."

"But George is telling me to drink alone."

"Since when has George Thorogood become your guru. Although, I must say, he is hot. Remember when we went to his concert. We thought he'd be this old guy because his voice sounds like an 80 year old black man and there was this young guy on stage."

"You think every guy is hot when he's up on stage, Suzy."

"Not Ric Ocasek."

"That's true. The frontman for The Cars is rather unfortunate looking."

Suzy laughed. "Well that's a polite way of putting it. Come with me to the party. You can't hide forever." She bypassed the glass of whiskey and picked up an old goblet, sniffing its contents.

Sylvie yelled, "Don't touch that."

"Why? Is it poison," she joked. Her face turned serious. "It is poison. You were going to kill yourself."

"Was not. I was just experimenting with a potion."

"Since when have you had any interest in potions. If it's not poison, then you won't object if I drink it."

"Don't," she screamed. "Maybe it is poison. What do I have to live for? My happiness has been stolen from me. I've tried to forget the life I should have had but I can't. Every day seems to last forever. The only time I have any relief is when I'm asleep. Don't you understand how much I've lost. I will never meet the love of my life. The twins won't be born. You weren't there. You don't know how happy we were together."

Suzy picked up the wedding photo that was lying on the table. "You know," she said, looking closely at the photo, "all of that may still be in reach. When were the twins born or more precisely, at what time of the year were they conceived?"

She stilled. "They were conceived on our honeymoon, next summer."

"Where will he be next summer."

"Probably at his house in Spinner's End. Away from Dumbledore."

"Why don't you take your life back. Go seduce your husband, and, if the timing is right, get pregnant and have the twins. When he has accomplished his mission, tell him the truth."

"Maybe. I know exactly when the twins were conceived. As for seducing him, I will need a little help on that. He doesn't know who I am. His attachment to Harry Potter's mother is absolute right now. He won't have the same reaction to a naked woman in his bed that 90% of the straight male population would."

"Amortentia Potion," suggested Suzy.

"Perhaps a variation. I don't want to be worshipped, I want to be fucked," she said bluntly. "Even if this works, it could be years before Voldemort is defeated and then there's no guarantee that Severus will want anything to do with me. I could be a single parent for life."

"Or you could forget about him and do something else with your life," she challenged.

"If I could, I would. It's a shot in the dark but I have to try it. First, I'll have to concoct the potion. Then I'll have to figure out a way to make Severus drink it. Then I have to try to time the moment of conception exactly so that the twins will be born. I think we should talk to Nona. If anyone can pull it off, she can."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summer 1993**

_Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night  
And wouldn't you love to love her?  
Takes through the sky like a bird in flight  
And who will be her lover?_

All your life you've never seen a woman  
Taken by the wind  
Would you stay if she promised you Heaven?  
Will you ever win?

Severus Snape sat alone in his house in Spinner's End, depressed, as usual. He hated his students, hated their ignorance, their pursuit of childish things. When he was teaching, he longed for the time when he didn't have to see their faces every day, particularly the face of Harry Potter who looked so much like his father who had tormented him during his own schooling. Once again, Potter was the hero, finding the Chamber of Secrets and defeating the basilisk. There wasn't a prouder face in the room than Dumbledore's when Potter had returned with Weasley and his sister. He had never looked at Snape that way and was unlikely to when Saint Potter was around. Sometimes he wondered if it was worth it. Coexisting with his arrogance was almost unbearable. But he had made the promise. He loved her. He would always love her. It was the least he could do to make up for all the mistakes of the past.

Besides, what else would he do? He knew no other life. He had no family, no close friends to provide him with another purpose. Away from Hogwarts with the elephant of boredom sitting on his chest, stifling his will to live, he wished he was back at school. At least he had something to do. He took another sip of his wine and examined the glass. Maybe he drank too much today. He felt not quite ill but different. His heart was racing, his palms sweating. He felt ready to jump out of his skin.

Maybe it was this house. His childhood home was not one of happy memories, rather, it whispered of past misery. As a child, he had escaped it whenever possible, finding sanctuary in the park, avoiding the bullies of the neighbourhood. Home was either oppressive silence or angry shouting. Outside was the calming sounds of nature where he could practice his magic, and, when he was older, there was his friend Lily. They could spend hours together, just talking. He missed her with every cell in his body, not just as his love but as his friend. You could find someone else whispered the voice he thought of as Traitorous Snape. Traitorous Snape had made his appearance in the last year, making promises of love, friendship and family with someone else if he were to leave Hogwarts. Loyal Snape was able to drown out these cravings with memories of Lily.

The front door knocker disturbed his musings. Who the hell could that be? He never had visitors. Maybe it was a Girl Guide selling cookies, a penitent selling religion, a petitioner needing his signature to stop something or other. Whoever it was, he would dispense with them quickly. He was lonely, but not desperate. He opened his door to a whirlwind of beauty that pushed past him. She had long, dark, curly hair that reminded him of Bellatrix but her brilliant blue eyes were filled with emotion where Bellatrix had eyes as cold as stone. Bellatrix was tall. She was short and curvy. His eyes were caught by her lips, full and moist, especially since the tip of her tongue slipped out and wet them. So entranced he was by her lips that he almost missed the disrobing. When she entered his house, she was dressed in a long cape. This was quickly shunted aside to reveal lingerie that, as the Stones had put it, would make a dead man come. He was amazed that he had actually retained a lyric from a muggle song that perfectly described this situation.

"Who are you," he choked out.

"I'm just a dream," she replied in a sultry voice. "A dream with a happy ending." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down for a searing kiss.

Severus Snape had never shared a lustful kiss with anyone. The only person he had ever kissed had been his mother, and that was on the cheek. His lips took control over his brain, pressing against her lips. She threaded her fingers in his hair; he buried his fingers in her hair, massaging her head. His hands moved down to her bottom, gripping each cheek and pulling it into his now raging erection. 'Where had that come from,' he briefly thought before his eyes wandered down to her breasts, ready to explode out of their meager covering. Her hands were everywhere, unbuttoning his shirt, grasping the length of him through his trousers. His hands were all over her, running up and down her back, kneading her mounds of loveliness. One small part of his mind was in shock that he was doing these things and that he was allowing her to do the same to him. The majority of his mind was celebrating.

"Your bedroom," she gasped. "Let's go to your bedroom."

He didn't remember how he got there, but next thing he knew, he was lying naked on his bed with her straddling him. She leaned down over him. "Undress me, Severus," she commanded.

Her breasts were covered with a strip of fabric held together by a bow in the centre. He reached out, tugged at the bow but it would not come undone. Using more force, he began to wonder if it was held together by magic. That would fit in with his experience with life, being frustrated by what he could not have. She laughed and pushed his hand aside. Reaching behind her, she undid something behind her and the cloth fell forward. He quickly disposed of that.

Looking down at a similar bow on her underwear, she said, "This just slips off. I don't need you pulling my pubic hair out trying to undo another bow." She rose onto her knees and pulled the underwear down.

Now they were both naked. He stopped a moment just to look at her. She had high, full breasts with rosy protruding nipples. Her pubic hair was dark and curly, like the hair on her head. Speaking of which, tendrils of hair seemed to snake its way toward him, pulling her down into his embrace. She placed his hands on her breasts. He ran his fingers up and down and around, making her nipples solid and straining towards him. She pulled his head down. "Your mouth. I need your mouth on them."

Unsure of what to do, he took her breast in his mouth. Instinct made him suck, triggering an appreciative cry from her. He experimented with different pressures, with swirling his tongue around the tip. He could have done this all day but his throbbing member had other ideas. He gripped her buttocks to position her over him but she had other ideas. She squirmed, always moving slightly out of reach, teasing him until he felt ready to explode.

Finally, she flipped them over so that he was on top and screamed, "Now, Severus." Needing no further encouragement, his penis found its way home. He was able to pause for a few seconds, relishing the feel of his flesh inside of her, the heat, the pulsations but a few seconds was all he could manage before instinct took over again and he plunged in and out. He had never felt anything so intense, such pleasure almost desperation that had to come to a climax. Her legs tightened around him, pulling him deeper. Finally, her flesh contracted, her small teeth closed on his shoulder causing him to reach the pinnacle. His seed flooded inside her, just as it had in another life.

He was unable to move, panting into her hair. Her hands ran up and down his back until he became too heavy and she shifted him off. Amazed at how tired he felt, his eyes began to close and he felt her pull away.

"Don't leave," he whispered.

"I must go. Next time, I will stay forever," she promised.

Before he lost consciousness, he heard her whisper, "I love you Sev. I miss you so much."

…

When he awoke, the room was dark. His body ached, his penis lay flaccid against his leg. Had it really happened or was it just a dream. He was completely naked. The only time he was completely naked was in the bath. He rushed to the mirror. The same face looked back at him. He looked closely and saw a mark and the beginning of bruising where she had bit him on the shoulder. Still, his mind found excuses. Perhaps it was a spider bite.

There was no other evidence of her existence except for a very faint scent that lingered on his sheets laying in disarray. Throwing his nightshirt on, he examined the glass and the bottle of wine but found nothing suspicious. His mind was clouded with questions. What the hell had happened and why? Why would a woman want to have sexual relations with him? There must be a hidden agenda. Why had he reacted the way he did. He still felt the sexual pull. If she had appeared to him at that moment, he knew he would behave in the same manner. His groin swelled in memory of the act. She must have used a spell. What had she meant when she said that she loved him and missed him. As far as he knew, this was the first time they had ever met, or was it. Was this a nightly ritual that he forgot about the next morning? The chant of why, why, why eventually put him to sleep.

Morning did not bring any clarification. Her promise of next time did not materialize. No matter how much he drank, he was not able to reproduce the episode.

…

A week later, Sylvie was curled on the large chair in her parent's family room, Lizzie stretched across the back of the chair, purring contentedly. She brushed the bottom of her belly with her fingertips and felt the tiny stirrings of the twins in her womb through her enhanced senses. Mission accomplished. After the seduction, she had flown to Russia to pick up Lizzie and then flown back home to her parent's house in Toronto. She had bought their home in London but decided against staying there. She would give birth in her home country, with the support of her friends and family. Her children would be Canadian, not English, for if things did not work out with Severus in the future, they could build their lives here rather than alone in an emotionally cold country. Did that make her a traitor? No, just a mother concerned with the future for her children.

Their joining had been wonderful, magical and yet heartbreaking at the same time. For one thing, it was a cheat. As soon as he had returned to his home in Spinner's End, she had kept watch, making plans to achieve her objective. He used the same safeguards on his childhood home as he used on his room at Hogwarts so she was easily able to slip into his house. She observed his ritual of having a glass of wine while reading. It had been child's play to lace the wine with the potion and then replace the bottle and glass after she left. Armed with a fertility charm and a sip of Felix Felicis, the potion that gives the drinker extreme good luck, his seed had found its way resulting in her pregnancy. She had not been sure that the good luck potion would work since it is very difficult to properly make, but with the help of Nona, she had succeeded.

Now what? The waiting game. Waiting for Voldemort to make a move, for Harry Potter to confront him so that she could have her husband back, if she could convince him that she was his destiny. She was a person of action. Patience was not her strong suit. But if it meant that she could live the rest of her life with Severus, she would wait.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summer 1994**

_when I look in the mirror  
sometimes I see  
traces of some other guy_

Her bare bottom nestled against his erection, her smooth back brushed the hairs on his chest, her breast sat warm in his hand. Severus Snape groaned in the early morning light and pulled her closer, burying his face against her neck. She rolled towards him, shifting as his fingers played with her nipple so that he could pull it into his mouth. His hand slipped between her open legs, stroking the wet folds, finding that nub that made her moan with pleasure. Her legs parted wider, her panting excited him more. With increased speed her moans became louder until her legs gripped his hand as his fingers slipped inside her during her release.

She flipped back so that they were spooned together, her legs up as if she were sitting on his lap. Her hand guided his penis inside. Now it was his turn to groan in pleasure as his hand kneaded her breast and his member pumped furiously. He felt the tide turning towards release when he woke up pounding into his pillow. His hand took care of his need, as usual. Not since he was a teenage boy had he had so many wet dreams and all of them featuring that curly haired witch.

It wasn't just during the nights that he was haunted. Sometimes, just beyond his vision, he thought he saw her, a whirl of her skirt, the flounce of her hair. Of course she was never there. At times, he thought he heard her calling him, "Sev". At other times, he swore he heard the crying of a baby. It made no sense. She had first appeared to him at his home. Now she was at Hogwarts. He couldn't admit to anyone that he might or might not be haunted by a succubus and a baby and how his body had betrayed him. All he could do was grit his teeth and hope that she would leave him in peace.

…

With less frequency, Sylvie also dreamed about her husband. She curled on the lounge chair in her back yard, remembering her dream from the night before. Unlike him, her dreams were seldom erotic but often had the theme of her trying to save him from something. The twins napped on a blanket in the shade. Despite her original decision to stay in Canada with friends and family, she found herself back in London. She knew why she was there. She wanted to catch a glimpse of him as he went into the Black residence for that meeting they had gone to another lifetime ago. Pathetic. She had hung around in her disguise as a hawk in the trees but he didn't come. No one did. Confused, she had approached the house herself but was not able to enter. In this life, it appeared that the meeting does not happen. She often looked up at the house from her backyard, wondering if Black was in there but the house seemed lifeless.

"Yoo hoo." The call heralded the arrival of Delilah. Since Severus wasn't around to be coveted, the two women had become friends.

"The gate's open, Delilah. Come on in."

With her larger than life hair and personality, the Southern belle lowered herself and her small dog, Precious, onto the other lounger. Lizzie glared at the dog from her spot on the blanket beside the twins. "Now there are children at their most charming, when they are asleep."

"These days, I tend to agree." Sophia had been a difficult baby in her other life. She was twice as difficult without Sev's comforting voice. Sylvie spent many nights walking her, since that was the one thing that seemed to soothe her. Teeny tried her best, but when she got worked up, only Sylvie could calm her. She had once caught Nona dipping her pacifier in whiskey. "Nona," she had yelled, "you can't do that. That could harm her."

"It worked with all my children. They were happy and slept more than a couple hours at a time," she grumbled. Nona lived with her, when she wasn't off doing 'research'. It worried her that Nona's research involved bringing the dead back to life.

"Do you know something that I don't?"

"Nonsense, bringing the dead back to life is a good skill to have." Sylvie simply raised her eyebrows at this, not believing her.

Her small daughter looked so peaceful, angelic. It was hard to believe that such volume of misery could come from that little mouth. Luckily, Nicholas was an easy going child, rarely fussing. She didn't think she would survive two of them like Sophia. She thanked the stars that it was finally a nice day and that they could sit outside. The twins were much happier outdoors.

She turned her attention to her visitor. "So how's life on the other side of the fence?"

"It's getting dreadfully dull. I need to do something to spice it up. Maybe I should dye my hair?"

"Back to its natural colour." Sylvie couldn't resist being a little catty.

"Why do you think this isn't my natural colour." She patted her hair, the brassiest shade of blonde that Sylvie had ever seen.

"Delilah, that colour doesn't exist anywhere in nature."

She ignored the comment. "We definitely need to do something to get us out of this rut."

"We," Sylvie queried.

"Yes, we. You need to get out, away from your childcaring duties. Let's go out to a club, a little bit of drinking, a little bit of dancing, a little bit of flirting, and maybe more. Delilah and Sylvie, out on the town."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm married."

"And where is that fine husband of yours. I have to wonder if he exists. Perhaps you've done away with him and he's providing fertilizer for your garden."

"You know he's away, working."

"Ah, yes, and if you told me what he did, you'd have to kill me. Just because you're married, doesn't mean you can't have some fun. Besides, I need a wingman."

"A wingman?"

"Yes darlin. Handsome, sexy men will swarm around you like flies on a dung heap. And when you reject them, they'll come to mama for a little bit of Southern Comfort."

"I'm not sure I want to go out with someone who just called me a dung heap," Sylvie teased.

"Just an expression, sugah. Your natural beauty attracts men."

"But Delilah, there are many other less insulting expressions you could have used. 'Like bees to honey, like ants to a picnic, or maybe like seagulls to a garbage scow.'" Sylvie laughed at the look on Delilah's face. "Besides, don't you want someone to love you for yourself, not because their first choice is not for sale."

"As long as he has hot buns, abs of steel and a full head of hair, I don't care."

"Ok. I know a little club that has ballroom dancing. We could go there."

Delilah gave her an incredulous look. "You must be joking. I'm looking for a lover, not a husband. We'll go to that new club that everyone is raving about, The Pit. I'll pick you up at 9:00." She gathered up her dog and exited the yard.

Sylvie groaned. She was often in bed by 9:00, exhausted from the day. Oh well. Maybe it would be fun.

…

She had further misgivings when they arrived at the club, only to find a long lineup to get in, a lineup that was not moving. Loud, throbbing music could be heard halfway down the street. Sylvie already had a headache. She watched the front of the line. People would approach the bouncer, some admitted immediately, often for the exchange of large sums of cash, others told to wait at the back of the line.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. We might have to find another venue for our night out."

"Leave it to me." Sylvie took her friend by the hand and marched up to the bouncer. She looked him straight in the eye. "Two for admittance, please."

The bouncer's expression glazed over. He moved the barrier to give them entrance. A cry of disapproval rose from the crowd behind them as there was no bribe given and they did not have the fame that allowed them to bypass the line. "Shut your yaps," snarled the bouncer.

"How did you do that?"

"The power of positive thinking," Sylvie replied.

They stopped and took in the scene before them. The club was two stories, the top floor a circular balcony that overlooked the dance floor below. The wall was interspersed with cages which contained writhing, scantily clad women. People packed the dance floor, the balcony and the bar. "Is this supposed to be the pit of Hell," Sylvie asked.

"It's the pit of carnal delights." Delilah was practically drooling. "Uh huh, look at that fine specimen over there. He's hotter than a $2 pistol." Sylvie looked at the young man Delilah was gazing at with unabashed lust. It seemed to her that everyone here was at least ten years younger than her, twenty years younger than Delilah if she had guessed her age correctly. They were young, fit and dressed in the latest skimpy fashions. Delilah actually looked matronly.

"How about that one that's coming towards us. I think you've caught his eye." Sylvie thought he looked much more suitable than the young gun. He looked to be in his late thirties, a little bit of a paunch but he had kind eyes.

"How did he get in. That boy fell out of the ugly tree, hitting every branch on the way down. Let's go get a drink."

"He's not that bad, Delilah. He has nice eyes. Look at those big brown eyes. He reminds me of a puppy dog."

"I'm looking for a stud, not a puppy." They approached the bar. "Do that thing you did at the door to get the bartender's attention."

Once the bartender stopped serving his current customers, Sylvie sent a strong suggestion that he come and serve them. There were several protests as he bypassed customers that had been trying to get his attention for the last half hour. "What will it be, ladies," offering them a smile.

"I'll have Sex on a Beach," Delilah replied.

Sylvie gaped at her friend. She muttered, "I think he was asking for your drink order, not your fantasy."

"Sex on a Beach is a drink, silly," she replied as the bartender passed her a fruity concoction.

"Oh, I'll have one of those, too." She felt very foolish. It had obviously been too long since she had been in a bar. She wished Severus were here. She could have such fun with this drink.

They spent the next half hour dancing with various men but none caught Delilah's fancy. Sylvie was actually having a good time. It had been ages since she had danced. Delilah leaned in to Sylvie. "So, who looks promising."

Sylvie indicated a young man with curly dark hair and a lean build. "He's a very good dancer but he could use a little discipline."

"Hooo doggie. You surprise me. I didn't take you for the S&M type." Delilah's eyes were sparkling.

She blushed furiously. "I meant that he needs to learn some of the classic dance moves… oh, you're teasing me." The young man in question was making his way over. He nonchalantly held his hand out. "Dance?" It was more a command than a question.

Sylvie shrugged her shoulders and danced with him. They danced a few dances until he led her back. She started to rate his performance. "You are a very good dancer but you could improve if you learned some basic ballroom moves." Her advice was interrupted by a trashy looking young woman who marched over and raised her fist.

"You stay away from my man, bitch. You might think you have some moves, but he is devoted to me."

"I have absolutely no interest in 'your man'. I was just giving him some dancing tips."

"Chill, girl. She's just some old woman. You know you're my number one."

Sylvie turned to him slowly, her hair crackling. "Did you just call me old?"

"Well, uh, you must be like, at least 30."

Her eyes were spitting fire. Delilah was trying to contain her laughter. "Are you going to let him get away with that, calling you old," she instigated.

"There's only one way to settle this, a dance off."

"Say what?" He was astonished.

"That's right. A dance off. We both take turns dancing. The one with the loudest cheers wins." Word spread quickly and in no time at all, the dance floor had been cleared.

"All right. It's your funeral."

The music started and he was first up. He had some fast footwork but some of his movements were too wide and jerky. She stepped forward for her turn, making sure to include routines that would impress the younger crowd. The cheers were definitely louder. He took another shot, making wilder moves to get the crowd going. Of course, he went too far and fell flat on his face. Sylvie gave her finale with jumps in the air, twisting. She didn't just want to win. She wanted to decimate him. When the song finished, the crowd roared its appreciation, making her the clear winner.

"Sugah, that was absolutely fantastic."

She gripped her friend. "Get me out of here. I think I ruptured my spleen." With waves of victory, they left the building.

Once her breathing had normalized, she said, "I'm sorry Delilah. We didn't find you a man."

"That's all right. The look on his face when you won was worth it. You know what, maybe it was better that we left. They were all kind of obnoxious."

They came up to the sign for a small pub. "Let's try in here. I know it's not The Pit but maybe the men aren't such idiots."

"Wouldn't hurt to try."

The first person they saw when they entered the bar was the man with the puppy dog eyes. Sylvie marched up to him. "I need you settle something for me. Don't you think my friend here looks like Marilyn Munroe, a young Marilyn Munroe." She looked meaningfully at him, hoping he would take the hint.

"She's the spitting image," he agreed with a deep voice and a delightful British accent.

Sylvie stayed a few more moments, making sure that the two were comfortable with each other before taking her leave. She scooted into the alleyway and apparated into her bedroom. She climbed into bed, looking at her bedside clock. 10:30 on a Saturday night and I'm already in bed. Maybe I am getting old.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summer 1995**

_How I wish, how I wish you were here._

_We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,_

_Running over the same old ground._

_What have you found? The same old fears._

_Wish you were here._

He saw her in Diagon Alley. He watched her from across the street as she looked in the window of Flourish and Blotts, examining the new selections. Sensing his concentrated gaze, she turned around, her eyes widening, her mouth forming a perfect 'O'. She darted through the streets, turning down an alley that dead ended at the back of a store. Hot in pursuit, he almost had her until he rounded the corner to empty space, her faint lingering scent the only evidence that she had been there.

She watched her husband from her perch on the rooftop, witnessed his cry of frustration. That had been too close. She had no idea he was in London. Diagon Alley was now off limits to her. Curious, she flew back to her back yard, changed into her human self and approached the front door to 12 Grimmauld Place. She repeated the entry phrase to herself and approached the front door that appeared with the words. She touched the handle, turned around and went home. Sirius Black was once again in residence.

…

Sylvie turned to the secluded part of the park and lifted the twins out of the stroller so that they could play on the cool grass. Nicholas immediately started chasing a butterfly while Sophia went to her favourite spot by the pond to commune with the goldfish. She drew a circle of protection around the area so that the twins could not wander off and she would be alerted to any danger. Laying a blanket down on the grass, she flopped down on her stomach and started reading her new book.

She was just getting to a good part when a twinge warned her to look up. Sophia was leaning too far over, trying to reach the goldfish. A quick flick of the wand snapped her daughter back on her bum. Sophia gave out a startled cry. "Fishies are for looking at, not for touching." As expected, Sophia's finger extended towards the pond. Another flick of the wand sent a small shock to her finger. "Fishies have to stay in the pond. They can't come out or they will die." Sophia's scrunched up face gave warning to a wail of protest at not getting her way. A final flick of the wand took all the volume out of her daughter's cry so that it came out as a whisper. She picked up her struggling daughter and took her over to Nicholas with a bag of toys. "You can't always get what you want, Sophia. Go play with your brother." With a huff and whispers that sounded like 'bad Mummy', she reluctantly started to take the toys out of the bag.

She watched to two of them for awhile surreptitiously, making sure that they found something to amuse them both and that Nicholas would charm Sophia out of her black mood. Soon, they started building a village from the blocks in the bag. Nicholas had the personality of her own father, amiable, easy-going but willing to assert himself for something he truly wanted. In their marriage, her mother ruled the household in most things, but, if it was important to her father, he always got his way. Luckily, most things weren't important to her father. Sophia's personality came from herself and her mother. Stubborn, determined, these were the traits of the females of her family. Her moodiness no doubt came from Severus.

Her mind wandered, unable to return to her reading. Her guilty secret. She frequently perched on the house across from 12 Grimmauld Place, hoping to catch a glimpse of him coming in or going out. She fantasized about flying down to him, transforming. He would take her in his arms, confess that he remembered their time together. They would move back to Canada and he would be the husband and father he was supposed to be.

Of course it was all fantasy. The only reason she knew of the other life was because of the concoction that Nona had made. Besides, if he remembered, he would have known exactly where to find her. She occasionally did see him, marching purposefully to 12 Grimmauld Place and hurrying away from it. There were many others as well, all part of the Order of the Phoenix. They had now passed the point when their marriage had been 'ended' by Dumbledore so she no longer knew what was going on in his life. As for life at Hogwarts, she knew what she read in the paper, that Harry Potter had won the Triwizard Tournament and that Cedric Diggory had died during the tournament but she was sure that there was more to the story.

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of Sophia's cry, "No, Niklas. Bad doggie."

She looked up, fear stealing her breath. Nicholas was climbing onto the back of a large black dog. His fists gripped the dog's back hairs as the dog rose to his feet. "Go horsey," Nicholas shouted with glee. How had this happened without warning. Sylvie whipped her wand out, ready to rescue her son but something made her stop. The dog sauntered over and lay at her feet, looking up at her with brown eyes that she had seen before from across the table at the Black residence.

She tucked her wand back in her sleeve. "Sirius Black," she said with confidence.

The dog rolled onto its side, gently dumping his mount onto the grass. Sirius Black knelt in front of her and kissed her hand. "You have the advantage. You have recognized me even through my animagus but I don't even know your name."

"It's Sylvie Turner. And these are my children, Nicholas and Sophia." Nicholas was quite put out that his new toy had turned into a man. He sat on the grass with his arms crossed, pouting. Sophia peaked out from behind her skirts.

"How is it that you know my name, and what are you going to do about it?"

"I have my sources at Hogwarts and I'm not going to do anything about it. I know you were innocent of slaying the muggles and Peter Pettigrew. But if you ask me, you are taking a big risk being seen here in public. And what if I wasn't sympathetic to your cause? You could be on your way back to Azkaban."

"I decided to take my chances. I have a confession to make. Our yards back onto each other. I've been watching you from my back window. Don't look alarmed. I'm just lonely and I've been going crazy inside that house. I know I risked capture, but I just had to follow you today, maybe talk to you. I feel like we have a connection…" He reached for her hand again.

"You can stop right there. I'm a married woman, in love with my husband."

"Maybe we can be friends, then. Curious, I've never seen your husband."

"He's away, working for Dumbledore."

"I'm part of the Order of the Phoenix. Is he part of the order. Do I know him."

"Now, now. A girl has to have some secrets. So exactly how long have you been watching me from your window?"

"Just a few weeks. I was in hiding before that, and, well, you know where I was before that. How did you know of my innocence? The Ministry prefers to bury its head in the sand and believe that You-know-who is not a threat."

"I've done some work for Dumbledore myself," Sylvie replied. Never mind that it was teaching at Hogwarts. Let Black think she was part of his cause. "I know that Pettigrew was hiding out as Ron Weasley's rat. Now he's gone to join Voldemort." She watched Black wince at the use of his name. "I know that there were four champions named at the Triwizard tournament when there should have only been three, but I was out of the country after that so I don't know what happened with the Tournament," she lied easily.

"That is something I do know about." They spend the afternoon talking about the Tournament and how Mad-Eye Moody was actually Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise.

"I knew that there was something different about him. He was not the same man I had met the previous summer." Sylvie smiled in triumph that her instincts were right. Her children's yawns and Sophia's wining told her that it was time to go. "It's time for the twins' nap. I have to go home now, Sirius."

"Do you mind if I walk with you? A dog with a family looks less suspicious that a dog by himself."

"Of course not."

Nicholas had already climbed into the stroller. "I not tired," Sophia protested, rubbing her eyes.

"Would you like Mummy to carry you home?" She gathered her daughter in her arms, head resting on her shoulder. "Close your eyes and you can hear the wind whispering to the trees." Sophia obediently closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes, her thumb in her mouth, the soother having been banished a few months ago. She had actually enjoyed the afternoon. Sirius Black wasn't such an asshole when Severus wasn't around. It was also interesting to hear what had happened at Hogwarts the previous year. Of course, he never should have told her half the things that he did. After all, she could have been an agent of Voldemort. Just because she had said she had done some work for Dumbledore didn't mean that she actually had. Oh well, he couldn't resist showing off the extent of his knowledge and she had taken full advantage of that. People tended to disregard mothers of young children as any serious threat. That was why rebels would sometimes put a bomb in a baby carriage.

Black followed them into the house when they arrived home. After she had put the twins to bed, she sat opposite and just looked at him. She wasn't going to offer tea or anything. She didn't want him getting too comfortable.

He cleared his throat and then said, "I have a proposition for you." He continued when she didn't say anything. "I really enjoyed getting out of the house today, talking to someone other than the Order of the Phoenix. Do you know about the Order of the Phoenix?"

"I do."

"Then you know that I am trapped in my house, awaiting visitors at any time. I need to get out once in a while. I would like to come visit you." At her raised eyebrows he clarified, "As a person, I mean. I respect that you are married and that there will be no relationship beyond friendship between us. I'm just so lonely and trapped in that house."

She hesitated. She could still see the desire in his eyes. He may say that they would just be friends but she didn't think it could ever be just that for him. She felt the same way about Severus. They could never be just friends. But she was lonely too and she had really enjoyed today, talking to another adult. Even though she could move about freely, she had even less social interaction than he did. Delilah had moved away with her new love. The couple who bought the house were never home and were not sociable. Against her better judgement she said, "All right, but on one condition."

"What's that?"

Her eyes sparkled with laughter as she said, "You have to give Nicholas 'horsey rides' when you come to visit."

He smiled back. "I think I can manage that."

And so their alliance began. They fashioned a gate between the houses, visible only to them. It solved the problem of a dog coming out of a house by himself. When the weather was nice, he would come through the gate and chat in the back yard. After the requisite 'horsey rides' for both Nicholas and Sophia, he would transform back into a man and they would talk as friends. She found out about what was happening with the Order of the Phoenix and she told him some of her life, carefully avoiding any references to Severus. Since Lupin was living with him and he could have visitors at any time, they had fashioned a warning system, alerting him to anyone entering or trying to enter the house. He could then rush back to his own home, none the wiser. When she could, she would perch outside his house and watch her love come and go. She thought he looked tired, and a little bit aged. Her longing to swoop down and take care of him was stopped only by the certainty that such attentions would not be welcome. The summer continued pleasantly until Sirius told her that he could not visit until the Fall. Harry Potter, Hermione and the Weasleys were coming to stay with him. He would not be able to leave the house at all. For the rest of the summer, she missed his company and looked forward to the time when he could visit again.

…

When the school term began, Sirius came to the house whenever Lupin was out on "errands". She began to anticipate his visits. The desire was still evident whenever he looked at her but she made sure not to sit too close, to give no sort of encouragement and to never, ever, be alone with him. If the twins were in bed, Teeny or Nona, when she was at home, stayed in the room. She was fond of Sirius but she loved Severus. She wondered how much of her enjoyment came from liking Sirius for himself or from just being able to talk to another adult from the wizarding community. She was also grateful that he got on so well with the children. They were lacking a male role model, although Severus would have an aneurism if he ever found out that Sirius Black was spending time with his children.

Shortly before Christmas, she received an owl stating that Harry and the Weasleys would be staying with him for the holidays so the visits would cease for a time. She found herself disappointed as she was hoping to have his company. As usual, she sent Severus a Christmas gift and one shortly after for his birthday. She wondered if he guessed who sent the anonymous gifts every holiday.

Happily, her family, including her parents and brothers and their families came for a couple of weeks, ensuring that she did not spend Christmas alone. They had always made a big deal over the holidays, decorating and playing games so she appreciated being able to continue these traditions with the twins. In turn, the twins had a wonderful time playing with their cousins. She had bought them each a special gift, a potions kit for Sophia and a Shetland pony for Nicholas. Of course Sophia wailed that she wanted a pony too but was placated when Nicholas promised to share.

"That means you will share your potions kit with Nicholas too?" Laughter filled the room as the expression on Sophia's face clearly said that she had no intention of sharing her potions kit. "You can't have it both ways, Sophia. Either you share with Nicholas or Nicholas does not share his pony with you."

Other presents included a small broomstick for each of them from her parents, the latest toys from her one brother and, from her other brother, something new on the market, a wand for toddlers. When it came time for them to go, tears of disappointment came from the twins, and, much to her parent's surprise, from Sylvie herself. She questioned the wisdom of staying by herself in London, wondering whether she should just move back home. The twins would have their cousins and other magical children to play with. She would have her family and Suzy, who had recently given birth to a little girl, but, if she was on another continent, how would she get to Severus quickly if he was in trouble. No, as much as she would like to go home, London is where they would stay for now.

A few days after they had left, she heard the bell that signalled that Sirius wanted through the gate. Glad for the company, she greeted him with a smile. He gave her a weak smile in return. It was obvious that something was wrong but she decided to let him speak of it when he was ready. Teeny prepared tea and sat in the living room, with the twins playing on the floor. Sophia had set up a tea service for her dollies and Nicholas was charging an invisible foe with his toy sword and stick horse, drawing glares from his sister when he almost crashed into her setup. The weather had been too stormy lately for Nicholas to get his usual exercise out of the house.

Sylvie sighed. "I'm going to have to take him outside later, regardless of the weather. He needs to get rid of this excess energy. He's such a busy boy. It's been hard for him to stay inside this whole week."

"I know how he feels," Black sympathized. "I'm ready to pummel his face into the ground. Not Nicholas," he explained, "Snape. He acts like he's the most important person in the organization, lording it over everyone that he has the dangerous missions and I'm stuck in that house. I hate him. If I were to find him being torn apart alive by a chimera, I'd merrily sell butterbeer. He is a waste of skin. Do you know him?"

She nodded but he didn't pay any attention to her face.

"Well then you know what a cold hearted, calculating snake he is. Dumbledore trusts him but I don't. I wouldn't trust him to hand me a handkerchief to blow my nose for fear of poison. He pretends he's doing dangerous work, spying on Voldemort and then he taunts me that I do nothing because I am cooped up in that house. If the positions were reversed, I know he would never leave the house. I bet he's just like Pettigrew, serving whichever Master is in front of him at the moment. He's nothing but a sniveling coward."

"Severus Snape is not a coward." Black stopped his tirade and looked up to find a totally unsympathetic audience. Nicholas, sword in hand, looked ready to run him through. Sophia looked ready to burst into tears but also had her miniature wand pointed at him. And Sylvie, well, she resembled a fury. Her eyes were cold, hard, blue marbles, her face was flaming and her fair was standing straight out from her head as if she had been struck by lightning.

"Severus Snape is the bravest, noblest man I know. He could wipe the floor with your ass if it came to a contest of character. Leave at once and never return."

"Sylvie, I… but he never finished the sentence as power from three wands blasted him out the door of the living room. She reappeared, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him towards the back door. Teeny's large eyes followed their progress.

"Miss, whatever is happening?"

"Nothing of concern, Teeny. I'm just taking out the trash." Approaching the gate, he tried to cover his mistake. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that he was a blood relative of yours."

She twisted him around so they were eye to eye. "He's not a blood relative of mine but he is of my children. I will not have anyone talking about him that way in front of them. And to compare him to Pettigrew. I never want to see you again. I detest, loathe and despise you. If I ever see your face again, I will blast it from here to Hogwarts!" With that, she threw him into his own yard and slammed the door shut.

He threw himself against the gate but she had sealed it against him. "Sylvie," he yelled, "please listen to me." Behind him, he heard someone clearing his throat. He turned to find Lupin staring at him, arms crossed. "Remus, I thought you had gone out."

"I didn't have to go out after all. What is going on, Sirius. Who lives behind you? Who is Sylvie?"

"A goddess." At Lupin's lifted brow, he explained. "She is a witch who allows me to visit her. At first, I went because I was so bored and lonely. It was such a relief to leave that house and it was safe. I could go through the gate with no one the wiser. Now, she's as important to me as the air I breathe."

"Have you lost your mind? What do you know about her? She could be a spy for him. How much have you told her about the Order?"

"She's not a spy. Her husband is on some sort of secret mission for Dumbledore."

"Husband? From the way you were carrying on, it sounded like you were in love with the lady."

"I am."

Remus shook his head slowly. "You fool. Who is her husband?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me."

He threw his hands up in the air. "And you didn't think that was suspicious? Has she totally addled your reason?"

"It doesn't matter anyway. She hates me, no, she detests, loathes and despises me. She never wants to see me again."

"Her name is Sylvie. What is her last name?"

"Turner, why do you ask?"

"We need to alert Dumbledore to a possible breach."

"Remus, I can guarantee she's not a spy. She knows Snape. In fact, she's related through marriage to him. That's what the argument was about. I said some rather derogatory things about him and she went mad."

"I also find that suspicious. Snape doesn't have any relatives that I'm aware of."

"Please, Remus. Don't say anything to Dumbledore. I made a fool out of myself and no, she didn't lead me on. She made it very clear that she was married and did not welcome anything other than friendship. If Dumbledore finds out that I've been leaving the house, he may confine me to someplace even worse, although I can't imagine anywhere worse."

"I'll think about it. Promise me you won't leave again and that you will stay away from Sylvie Turner." Black nodded his assent.

Sylvie returned home to find two very upset children.

"Why'd he say bad things about Poppa," Nicholas asked, his eyes wide and confused.

She sat on the couch and pulled them both onto her lap. "I'm sorry you heard that. Your Poppa and Sirius went to school together. They were not friends in school and did some bad things to each other. That is why he said bad things about your Poppa, but he is wrong. Your Poppa is good, kind and very brave."

"Where is Poppa," asked Sophia in a small voice. "I want to see him."

"I want to see him, too. You know he can't live with use because he is fighting against a very bad man. You two are very much like him."

"Why?"

"Sophia, you like making potions, just like your Poppa. Nicholas, you are very brave like your Poppa. And, of course, you both look like him. You both have his nose. Sophia, you have his eyes and Nicholas has his chin."

"Why that man come if he bad to Poppa?"

"He was my friend, but not anymore. Don't worry. He will never come here again. Some day, the very bad man will be gone and your Poppa can come home and spend the rest of his life with us."

"I want that now, Momma."

"Me too, little one. Me too."

…

The rest of the winter and spring were dismal. She missed Sirius' company more than she cared to admit. She tried to get involved with mother's groups but the air of depression hung heavy on her. She wanted Severus now more than she ever had. Summer was just around the corner. At least she felt happier now that she could spend more time outside.

Having just put the twins to bed, Sylvie was enjoying the peace and quiet of her garden when she heard yelling. "Sylvie, please open the gate. It is of extreme importance that I see you."

'Why not,' she thought to herself. 'Even if he is a shithead, I swear the boredom of my life is going to kill me anyway.'

"Well," she asked as he fell into her yard.

"I have to go to the Ministry of Magic. This may be the last time I ever see you and I wanted to tell you how sorry I am that I caused you and the twins any pain."

"What are you talking about, the last time I'll see you. Has the Ministry finally caught up with you and are sending you back to Azkaban?"

"No, we are going to fight Voldemort at the Ministry. He's lured Harry there."

The colour drained from her face. "Whom do you mean by 'we'?"

"The Order of the Phoenix. Just the one's that happened to be at the Headquarters when Snape told us about Harry's message."

"Severus is going as well?" Her voice was small, her face filled with worry.

"No, Snape is going to search the forest for them, in case they did not fall for the trap. But I know Harry and he would do anything if he thought I was in danger, same as I would do for him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Never mind. I have to go before they leave without me." Taking her by surprise, Sirius grasped her face in his hands and kissed her. When she did nothing, he did it again and, pulling her into his embrace, continued kissing her.

'He is a good kisser,' she thought. It had been so long since anyone had held her. It felt so good. Her hair started to reach for him, entwine in his long hair. Her lips started to respond to his.

She stopped feeling and started thinking. 'Holy fuck! What am I doing? I love Severus.' She drew back and slapped him in the face.

"I'm not going to apologize since that was better than I imagined. If you can, look out for Harry for me." With that, he ran through the gate back to his own yard.

Sylvie shock walked back to her house, her hair reaching back for the closed gate. "Traitorous hair," she muttered. When she got back to the house, she went straight to the kitchen, pulled the scissors from the drawer and started hacking off her hair, swearing under her breath.

Nona walked into the kitchen. "What the hell are you doing?" She wrestled the scissors away from her. Sylvie burst into tears.

"I hate my hair. I'm cutting it off."

"If you want to cut your hair, you'd go to a hairdresser. You are slaughtering your hair. Now tell me what's really going on."

Her shoulders slumped, defeated. "I just saw Sirius Black. He and some members of the Order of the Phoenix are going to the Ministry of Magic to fight Voldemort. Severus is searching the Forbidden Forest for Harry Potter, I guess. What he said really didn't make any sense. What if the danger isn't at the Ministry but in the Forest? What if something happens to Sev?"

"I fail to see the connection to your hair."

"Something else happened."

"Oh?"

"Sirius Black kissed me. My hair started to reach for him, just like it used to do with Sev. I don't love him. I love Severus. I was just angry that my hair betrayed me."

"Hmmm," was all Nona said.

"Don't look at me like that. I do love Severus. I care nothing for Sirius."

"I'm not looking at you in any way. There is no doubt that you love your husband. However, I do not believe that you do not care about Black." At her protests, Nona said, "He is a charismatic man who provided you with companionship and entertainment when you were lonely. Of course you care about him even though he said all those things. The man has a right to his own opinion. He was your friend so you would be concerned about him as a friend."

"Maybe. I don't want to see him again but I don't want him dead, either. The way he was talking… Nona, I'm worried about Severus."

"Black seemed to think he was in no danger."

"I have to see for myself. What if he is wounded?"

"Poppa hurt?" Sophia walked into the room, rubbing her eyes.

Sylvie picked her up and hugged her. "No, Poppa's not hurt. Nona and I were talking about someone else. Let's get you back into bed."

"No, sleep with Momma."

Sylvie grimaced. If the children had a bad dream, she always let them sleep with her. She looked desperately at Nona, willing her to say that Sophia could sleep with her. Instead, Nona said, "You and Mummy go to bed. Everything will be better in the morning." She threw her great-grandmother a glare but Nona ignored her, looking the other way.

Hours later, Sylvie lay in her bed, wide awake. Sophia was cuddled into her, breathing with the heaviness that indicated sleep. Carefully, she slipped out of bed and looked out her window. Maybe Sirius was back. A light appeared in the house behind her. Someone was there."

Quietly, she opened the gate between the yards. "Sirius," she whispered, and then realized that whispering was not going to get his attention. She called his name loudly, peering into his yard. She had never been inside his house in this reality. Should she risk going inside?

The decision was made for her when a man opened the door. "Sirius," she said with relief. "I'm glad that you're all right."

"I'm not Sirius," said the figure. Coming closer, she recognized Lupin.

"Remus. Is Sirius at home?"

"You must be Sylvie Turner. How do you know my name?"

"Oh, Sirius described you," she lied easily. "Is he back from the Ministry?"

"Sirius is dead," he said bluntly.

Her hand flew to her mouth with an expression of horror. "I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"Bellatrix hit him with a spell that knocked him through an archway covered by a veil of death."

"A veil of death? He was killed by a curtain? Never mind. What about Severus? Is he all right?"

"Snape," he said in a questioning voice. "He wasn't with us. He was searching the Forest."

"But do you know for sure that he is OK?"

"Yes, I know he's a relation to your husband but why are you so concerned…" His voice died away, his gaze fixed beyond Sylvie. She turned to find Sophia had followed her.

"Momma, you left." She picked up her daughter and turned back to Lupin. From his face, she could tell that he had put together the thing that Black refused to see, the resemblance between father and daughter.

"Snape is your husband. Severus Snape is the father of your children. How is that possible?"

"It's a secret. Sev was terrified that Voldemort would use us to guarantee his loyalty. You must tell no one of our existence. Please Remus. Please promise me."

Mother and daughter looked at him with pleading eyes. She looked so much like her father. How could Sirius have missed it. "I shall say nothing to compromise your safety."

"Thank you, Remus. Thank you so much." He watched them return to their yard and seal the gate behind them.

"If what you say is true, Sylvie Turner, your safety will not be compromised when I discuss it with Dumbledore," he said quietly to himself as he returned to the House of Black.


	7. Chapter 7

**Autumn 1996**

_Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you  
By now you shoulda, somehow, realized what you gotta do  
I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now_

_..._

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding  
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding  
There are many things that I would like to say to you  
But I don't know how_

Because maybe  
You're gonna be the one that saves me

From her position at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Sylvie could track all who came and went. So far, he had not come. After the death of Black, she had been overwhelmed by a desire to see him. 'I won't approach him, I just need to see that he is well,' she lied to herself. From the students' conversations, she learned that Severus had finally been given the Dark Arts post he so longed for. She was happy for him but she wished she was there to share the moment with him. Everyone now accepted that Voldemort had returned and that there would be a final confrontation between him and Harry Potter. She was horrified and yet relieved. When Voldemort's life ended, hers could begin. Severus would be free of his promise.

Dumbledore approached the forest, walking under her hiding place high in the trees. Curious, she followed him. He stopped in the same clearing where they had discussed Sirius Black in another life, looked up and said, "I know you are there, Sylvie Turner. You can come down now." What had she done to give herself away?

She glided down, transforming back to her human self once she reached the ground. "How did you know it was me."

"One does not often see a Ferruginous Hawk in the Forbidden Forest. Besides, I've been waiting for you. I knew eventually you would not resist the opportunity to spy on Severus. You've cut your hair."

Her hand patted her curls. Nona had trimmed her hair for her after her hatchet job on her head. A muggle hairdresser was out of the question as it would no doubt terrify them when her hair started fighting back with the first cut.

"So," he continued, "what do you intend to do now that you are here? I hope you are not so misguided as to think that you could convince Severus to abandon his duty."

"His duty!" Her anger flared. "After what you have done, you dare to believe that Severus owes you anything. You have destroyed our life together! How dare you play God! You had no right to change the past, to change my future. I've lost everything."

He sat down heavily on the large rock. He looked very old, close to death. "Not quite everything. You have the twins. I'm interested to know how you managed that."

"A combination of potions and charms. I knew when their date and approximate time of conception was so I made a visit to Spinner's End."

"And how did you explain your appearance to Severus?"

"I said I was a dream. With the potion I slipped into his wine, the event did seem like a dream."

"Clever, but then, you were always very clever, Sylvie Turner. And how did you know in the first place of your life interrupted?"

"After you changed the past, I had a feeling of foreboding. When my mother received the letter of my rejection, well, I fell apart. Nona figured it out and used a potion to show me the life I was missing."

"Interesting. Even though you should have had no inkling, you somehow knew in your subconscious. Perhaps I made a mistake."

"You think! You think," she screamed. She impulsively whipped out her wand. "You stole Severus from me. Maybe I'll go steal him back."

He sprung up with a quickness that belied his years. His wand was instantly trained on her. "I'm afraid I cannot let you do that. I've worked too hard to place Severus in the position that he is now in. Without Severus, I do not think that Voldemort can be defeated. And when it comes down to it, who do you think he will believe, yourself or me? He has no idea who you are whereas he has known me for most of his life. Besides, he made a promise to me to assuage his guilt about his part in the death of the only woman he has loved. Remember, in this lifepath, he is not aware of your existence. His love for her is as strong now as it was years ago."

His words enraged her. She wanted to conquer him. Perhaps a distraction. A strange thought entered her head. "Is that the Elder Wand?" From the look on his face, she had inadvertently stumbled on a truth. "Oh my God. It is."

"How do you know this is the Elder Wand?"

"I didn't. It just popped into my head. I've been reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard to the twins and I've also been doing a lot of research to find some way to save Severus. Harry Potter has the Cloak of Invisibility, doesn't he? That means that the Resurrection Stone exists. If I could find the Resurrection Stone, maybe I can save Severus. I have a horrible feeling that he is going to die."

"The Resurrection Stone will not bring him back from the dead. It only allows you to communicate with the shades of what they once were. I know this for a fact because I found the Resurrection Stone. Unfortunate for me, the stone had been turned into a ring, a ring with a curse on it." He held up his blackened hand. "A fact that I forgot in my eagerness to speak with loved ones long ago lost."

Her shoulders slumped. Looking closely at him, she said, "You do not look well. How bad is the curse?"

"I have about a year to live."

"I'm so sorry. What will happen to Hogwarts?"

"Severus will become Headmaster."

"Severus? Why not McGonnagall? She has been there much longer and she is your 'second in command' so to speak."

"In normal times, that is indeed what would happen. But these are not normal times. By the time I am killed, Voldemort will most likely have taken over the Ministry. He will want to appoint someone he trusts to Hogwarts. Severus is the logical choice. He has proven his loyalty and he is already in position at Hogwarts. Staff will be more accepting of a teacher they know than of a teacher they do not."

Her eyes narrowed at him. Everything he said made sense but for one word. "Killed? I don't think you meant by the curse. I think you meant by a person. Do you think you will be murdered by Voldemort?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, in pain. "I am getting too old when I slip in my speech. Voldemort has given the task of killing me to Draco Malfoy."

"Malfoy? That should be easy then. For one thing, I do not think he would be able to complete that mission. I think he is like his father, appearing to be a powerful man but not able to show courage when the chips are down. For another, you can simply expel him from the school."

"And to what purpose? To expel Malfoy would be to reveal that I know of the plot, which would lead right back to Severus. He would lose the confidence of Voldemort and would not be appointed Headmaster. He would not be in position to protect the students."

"So you are going to allow Malfoy to kill you?"

"No, he is too young. If he follows through with his orders, killing me will irreparably damage his soul. I will not allow that to happen."

"Then you will die by the curse. Won't you? No, someone else is going to kill you. Another Death Eater?" Finally, she understood what he was not saying. "No. No! You would not be so cruel. Not Severus."

"Yes, Severus."

Sylvie screamed with rage. "Petrificus Totalus!" Dumbledore stiffened, unable to move. "You will listen to me! How could you ask such a thing of him. That is patricide. He thinks of you as a father, the father he never had. What about the irreparable damage to his soul! He does everything for you, and what do you give him in return? The command to do something that goes against everything that he has become. And when he has a chance of happiness, a family, you take that away from him too. With friends like you, who needs enemies. He is not some machine you can use and abuse for your own purpose. He is a human being with feelings, needs, dreams. What do you have to say about that!" Sylvie was pacing indignantly, yelling, shaking her finger in his face. Her face was the embodiment of rage, her hair crackled as if it was possessed by lightning. Remembering the reason why she was not getting answers, she released him from the spell. He staggered, sat himself down again on the rock, breathing heavily.

"You are absolutely right. It is undeniably unfair, but I have no choice. I can't leave the school to the mercies of a Death Eater. A Death Eater has no mercy. I have to do everything I can to give Harry Potter the tools to defeat Voldemort. I am not asking Severus to murder me, I am asking him to release an old friend from pain."

"Oh my God. That is such a cop-out. Is Sev going to give you a potion that will slip you into death peacefully or is he going to perform a killing curse in front of others to prove his loyalty to Voldemort? What reward will he receive for this 'service'? If Voldemort is defeated, no one will believe that he did this all on your orders. He will die in Azkaban and be remembered as a traitor, not as the courageous man that he is. If Voldemort is not defeated, he is condemned to live a life contradictory to how he really feels."

"If Harry Potter dies, someone else must try to kill Voldemort. By defeating me, Severus will have the Elder Wand. I believe, with that, he may be powerful enough."

"So your backup plan is for Severus to kill another father figure." She shook her head in frustration.

"Do you really think Voldemort is a father figure to Severus?" He looked at her with doubt.

"Not now. But he once was. It will still exact an emotional toll on him. No matter how you spin it, Severus is going to die. He will not be reunited with me and the twins. He will not live the life he was supposed to live, the life he deserves." Her whole body slumped in defeat.

"Ah, but aren't you going to save him, my dear." He looked at her, a smile on his face, eyes twinkling.

Her head snapped up. Was he mocking her? Maybe not. "And just how am I going to save him?"

"I have faith in you."

"Well I don't. Nona and I have been researching this for the last three years. There is no surefire way to bring him back from death."

"Not surefire, no. But there is a legend that I believe to be based on truth. If a Grimm takes you to its natural habitat, it will give you the means to bring someone back to full life. It will be as if the person never died. However, the Grimm will not grant this knowledge for free. There will be a price," he said, intently.

"What is the price," she asked, quietly.

"I do not know. I am not positive that it will actually work but it is, how do you say, your best bet. I will send all of the information that have to your home in London. I will also try to find out more." He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "I do believe that Severus should have his 'happy ending' but are you prepared to pay any price for that?"

"I believe so. I will give you my address."

"No need. I know exactly where you live." At her raised brows, he said two words that explained it all. "Remus Lupin."

"Dammit. He promised me."

"He did not promise to keep your identity a secret. He promised not to compromise your safety. A secret marriage. Now that is not the exact truth, is it."

"It is. You married us. It is a secret."

He burst out laughing. "Oh, Sylvie Turner. I wish things were different. You would bring a joie de vivre to Hogwarts."

"Professor, there is something I must ask you to do. You must tell Severus, tell him about me and the twins, tell him what you did. Otherwise, he will not believe me. I will have gone to all the trouble to rescue him only to have someone who does not want to be rescued, who does not want to be my husband and the father to our children. You said it yourself. His love for Lily Evans is as strong now as it was many years ago."

"I will find a way to tell him that will not compromise his mission but you must promise not to reveal yourself until all is complete."

She sighed. "That's the best I'm going to get, isn't it."

"I'm afraid so."

…

Three days later and she was still in the Forbidden Forest. She should be at home, looking after the twins, investigating the material that Dumbledore had sent to her. Instead, she was maintaining her vigil to catch a glimpse of her beloved.

There he was, striding purposefully through the forest back to Hogwarts. She hadn't actually promised Dumbledore that she wouldn't approach him. She hadn't said the words, 'I promise'. One quick visit wouldn't hurt. She flew down to a spot where he was sure to see her. She felt him stop. She turned, pretending that she hadn't planned this all along, and looked at him. He leaped toward her. Just as quickly, she ran through the forest, making sure that he did not catch her but making sure that he did not lose her either. Her heart was pounding, her breath coming fast as she dove into an opening. He dove after her.

Somehow, she had twisted herself around so that they were face to face, lying on the ground. They were in a small cave which showed signs of her recent inhabitation. A small bed occupied the back while a small fire illuminated the walls. Her chest was heaving from the recent exertion. He couldn't take his eyes off her lips, slightly parted.

From those lips came a surprising phrase. With a slight hint of disdain, she said, "Don't you dare kiss me."

Who was she to give such a command. After all, he had her pinned to the floor. If he chose to kiss her, there was nothing she could do about it. In fact, that is exactly what he should do. Kissing her suddenly became the most important thing in the world. Her eyes taunted him to do it. He lowered his head and brushed his lips with hers. Like a limpet, her lips attached themselves, actively participating in the kiss rather than denying him. Her arms went around his back, her hands kneading his shoulders. Her legs entwined themselves around his.

He pulled back. "What is wrong with you," he gasped.

"I don't suppose if I told you not to rip off my clothes and make love to me that you would do it?" He just stared at her. She sighed.

As he sat up, he asked, "Who are you? Obviously not a dream."

She smiled and sat up next to him. It would do no harm to tell him her name. "I am very real. My name is Sylvie Turner."

"You did seduce me at my home and I saw you again in Diagon Alley."

"I hadn't expected to see you there. That was an accident."

His eyes narrowed. "And today. Seeing you was no accident. You led me here."

"What an astute man you are."

"Why. Why are you doing this. Why me."

"I guess the simple answer is because I love you."

"Love me! You don't know me," he said in exasperation.

"Oh, I know you very well, Severus Snape. I know that you don't care that much about what you eat but that you have a weakness for bread pudding and that you despise turnip. I know that your back aches at night from bending over cauldrons all day. I know that your muggle father was abusive and that you wished you had killed him. I know that your first love was Lily Evans. I know that if you have a cold, you snore so loud, I'm surprised you don't wake the whole castle. And I know," she leaned closer and lowered her voice, "I know that Dumbledore has asked you to kill him."

His face registered his shock. "How did you know," he whispered.

"Dumbledore told me. We share a vested interest in your safety."

"And did Dumbledore tell you all of those other things?"

"No, I can't explain yet how I know so much about you. Actually, I'm not supposed to see you now but I couldn't stay away. When this is all over, I will explain everything. Dumbledore is supposed to explain some things to you soon. I am going to save you, Severus Snape."

"Save me from what?"

"Save you from death. I just have this horrible feeling that you are not going to survive whatever ultimately happens with Voldemort." He flinched when she said his name. "My saying his name is not going to change the fact that he has gained much power and the end is near."

"And how are you going to 'save me'."

"I haven't quite worked that out yet." She climbed onto his lap. "I know you have to go back to the castle soon but we have just enough time." She threaded her hands in his hair and started to pull his face towards hers.

"Time for what," he choked out, pulling back.

"Time for a little fun, just between us." She reached between his legs and stroked. "I can feel that you are ready." She took his hand and placed it between her legs. "You can feel that I am ready for you. Haven't you wished to repeat our first meeting? I know that you don't usually do this but please, just listen to your body for once." She placed his hand on her breast and started kissing his lips, grinding into him with her hips.

He allowed the tide of her lips to carry him away. Reason was telling him to leave at once, but Traitorous Snape had taken over. His groin area was on fire, her lips ignited nerve endings he didn't know existed. It just felt so good. And why not indulge. It was an isolated incident that no one would ever find out about. If he was going to die soon, no one would begrudge him this moment of pleasure. He found himself allowing her to undress him and pull him towards the bed. He even allowed her to pull off his shirt. Soon, they were both naked, lying side by side, exploring each others bodies. Memories of dreams were coming back to him, dreams where he had done many wicked things to her. Unable to stop himself, he rolled on top of her and plunged into her softness. He stopped for a moment, just experiencing the warmth and wetness and the excitement of being inside her. Legs wide open, his hands trapping her hands above her head, his hips started to move. She moved with him, wrapping her legs around his buttocks, moaning into his ear. Other noises filled the cave and he gradually realized that he was the one making those noises. Faster he pumped, each stroke sending tension down his penis to his testicles. Everything speed up to an explosion of feeling and noise. Breathing raggedly, he collapsed on top of her.

She stroked his head, shoulders and back. She whispered, "Oh Sev, I've missed you so much."

The use of Lily's special name for him jolted him into action. He quickly dressed while she watched. She seemed to have no shame, laying fully naked on the bed with flushed cheeks. "I wish you could stay, just one night, but I know you cannot."

Fully dressed now, he looked down at her, not knowing what to say. An inadequate 'goodbye' was all he could manage.

…

A few days later, he still didn't know what had come over him. No matter how much he told himself that she must have bewitched him, he knew it wasn't true. Truth be told, he did not regret the incident, not one little bit. He had returned to the cave but she was gone. Research had yielded very little information about Sylvie Turner. She was the child of a muggle father and a witch, like himself. Her heritage included a long line of witches and wizards, going back to her great-grandmother, Mary Kilpatrick, a famous witch of immense power. She also had an animagus of a bird.

Later that evening, Dumbledore took him aside and gave him a sealed envelope. "It is very important that you open this after the final battle between Harry Potter and Voldemort. If you try to open it before, the paper will burst into flames."

"What is it?"

"Just some additional information that you will need later." Snape could tell that Dumbledore would say no more. He tucked the envelope into his vest pocket and wondered if it explained the curly haired witch.


	8. Chapter 8

**Into the Garden of Evil**

_And too much time I've been spending  
With my heart in my hands  
Waiting for time to come and mend it  
I can't cry anymore_

Dumbledore's package had preceded Sylvie's arrival back home. She sat with Nona in the study, reading through the information, of which there was very little.

"Hmm, it says that if you are able to track Black Shuck to his lair, he will grant you a wish in exchange for keeping his home a secret," Sylvie read. "It doesn't say anything about bringing the dead back to life."

"This text claims that if you capture a Grim, he will give you the secret of raising the dead." Nona closed the book. "All of these different sources refer to some sort of demon or ghost dog going by different names granting a boon if the person finds their home. There are so many stories that there must be some element of truth in them. I seem to remember something about the Cu Sidhe, a beast in Irish tales." She walked over to the bookcase and pulled out an ancient text. She murmured the words 'Cu Sidhe' and the pages turned. "Here we are. The Cu Sidhe is a companion to the Aes Sidhe."

"Who are they, Nona?"

"Non-magics call them fairies. We call them the Fae. They dwell in the Otherworld, a world that exists between the human world and the Realm of the Dead. The Cu Sidhe is supposed to be a harbinger of death. Some say that if you hear a Cu Sidhe howl three times, you will die of fear. The Cu Sidhe then accompanies you to the Underworld. Here it says that they steal women who have just given birth so that they can play nursemaid to the fairy infants. Lizzie, off." Lizzie had jumped onto the table and laid down on the book.

"Great, we need a Cu Sidhe but if we find one, we'll die. A sort of a Catch-22." She picked up Lizzie, who persisted in walking all over their research. Lizzie gave out a yowl, jumped out of her arms back on the table. She sat in front of the book, turned the pages, stopping at a particular page and putting her paw on it.

"Nona, did Lizzie just turn the pages with her paw?"

"It certainly looked like it. Let's see what she is so eager to read." Nona stood beside Lizzie who lifted up her paw. "This is about the Cait Sidhe, otherwise known as the fairy cat. A Cait Sidhe is also said to bring death. Well, that's not very helpful. Here's something else. Some believe that the Cait Sidhe is actually a witch transformed into a cat. If the witch changes into a cat nine times, she is doomed to remain a cat forever. Is that what you are trying to tell us, Lizzie, that you are a witch trapped in the body of a cat?"

Reading over her shoulder, Sylvie replied, "No, I think she's trying to tell us that if you see a Cait Sidhe and a Cu Sidhe together, they will not bring death but will bring life. It doesn't explain what 'bring life' means." Lizzie gave a meow of approval. "Lizzie, are you a Cait Sidhe?" Lizzie nuzzled Sylvie's hand, purring loudly. "It's all we've got. We have to try to find a Cu Sidhe."

"East Anglia is the most likely place. That is where most of the sightings have been."

"East Anglia it is."

"Sylvie, there is something else I want to talk to you about." At her expectant look, Nona continued. "I don't think it's safe to stay in London. Even though you have no direct connection to Voldemort, there are at least two people, maybe more, who know that the twins are Snape's children."

"Where would we go?"

"We could always go to the family estate in Ireland. We could use the Honeymoon House."

"What's that?"

"When a couple was newly married in olden times, they stayed at the Honeymoon House alone for a month. If they still wanted to be married at the end of the month, then their marriage would be a happy one. If they hated each other, well, on to other pastures."

Sylvie laughed. "I think we could use a Honeymoon House in modern times. It sounds like a good idea except wouldn't the house be too small? And maybe someone is living in it."

"The house is not as large as this one but it does have two bedrooms. I've already checked and the house is empty. I've spoken with the current clan chief and we are welcome to stay there."

"If it's for a 'honeymoon', why are there two bedrooms? I guess that was in anticipation that not all unions are successful."

The house was packed up and sold and the family moved to the Honeymoon House in Ireland. It was smaller than their house in London but it was still comfortable. The twins shared a room and Sylvie and Nona shared the larger bedroom. The house had a large kitchen, a small pantry that was converted into Teeny's room, a library and living room. Gardens behind the house backed onto a small wooded area, giving the twins lots of areas to explore. A small town was located just a mile down the road. Sylvie had to admit that it was perfect for her needs right now. Best of all, the current chief was a wizard with small children of his own. The twins had a standing invitation to play at the castle. She was glad that they were exposed to other magical children. After a month, Sylvie felt that it was time to pursue the Cu Sidhe.

…

Nona, Sylvie and Lizzie stood beside a road in East Anglia. It was that ominous time between day and night. The sun had just gone down, making it seem like everything was in shadows, that everything was out of focus no matter how long you stared at it. Sylvie felt like she was standing between the ordinary and the magical unknown that could be either wonderful or terrible. She was leaning more towards terrible, especially since it was silent. No sound of crickets, animals or humans, just dead silence, as if the world was holding its breath for the appearance of the monster under the bed.

The silence was broken by an unearthly howl. The trio raced towards the sound. Stepping out onto the road was the largest dog she had ever seen. He was the size of a horse. A shaggy black coat covered the demon dog. Eyes glowed red from the massive head. It was a sight that would scare a man with a heart problem to death. The beast howled again, shaking the leaves on the trees with its roar. Lizzie detached herself from the group and calmly walked towards the dog. Legs shaking, Sylvie followed. A low growl came from the creature's throat. Lizzie growled back. She swore that the dog tossed his head and snorted in disgust. The dog turned and started towards the field. He came to a small hill, looked back at them, and jumped straight into the hill, disappearing instantly. Lizzie followed. Nona and Sylvie held hands and did the same.

They jumped into another world, one that was a bit brighter than the twilight they had just left. There was no sun visible, just a blue-grey sky that shimmered the longer she stared at it. If the colour was a paint chip, she would call it gloom. The landscape was bizarre. Trees and plants were copies of those found above ground but not exact replicas. They were chunky imitations that dripped with rot in places. Lizzie and the Cu Sidhe stood together, waiting for them. They then trotted down a winding path. The witches followed for a few minutes until they came to a clearing.

Seated on a throne in the middle of the clearing was a humanlike creature. He had black hair that fell in waves down his back, a high forehead, aristocratic nose. His cheekbones were extended and his cheeks hollow, Sylvie's first hint that the creature was not mortal. The tips of pointed ears peeked through his hair. He was wraithlike thin, clothed in long robes and wearing a crown of silver twisted into a complicated pattern. When he fixed his gaze on Sylvie, she felt like she was looking into a void of nothingness. She had never been so terrified in her life. The creature filled her with dread, almost like a Dementor. Unlike a Dementor, she still felt a vestige of hope. The Cu Sidhe sat beside the throne. Behind him, Sylvie could see similar creatures watching from the trees.

"Rhiannon, what a surprise." The voice was low and lazy, as if it took some effort to talk.

"My name is Sylvie," she replied in a small voice.

The being's head whipped around and she was pinned with his gaze. With a tone of derision, he said, "I wasn't speaking to you. I was speaking to the Cait Sidhe." When he spoke to her, jagged teeth were revealed.

She looked back at Lizzie, who was no longer Lizzie. A stunning woman with curly hair of auburn was in her place. She bowed low in deference. Nona and Sylvie followed suit. He acknowledged them with a slight nod. "Oberon," the woman said.

Sylvie knew the name from legend. He was the king of the Fae. Rhiannon was also a name from legend, a famous Irish witch. The legend said that Rhiannon was very much in love with her husband, the Irish King. When their first child was born, her attendants lost the baby. They framed Rhiannon with blood on her mouth, saying that she ate the child in a fit of insanity. She was cast out, forced to tell her tale to all who entered the castle and offer to carry them on her back. The baby was found and raised by another, who eventually had business at the castle. When he heard Rhiannon's tale, he realized that the foundling was the missing child. The family was reunited and lived happily ever after. That was the story. Sylvie was curious to know what really happened but now was not the time to question her once cat.

"Why have you come to my realm?"

Sylvie knelt on the ground, head bowed low. "I have come, great King Oberon, to ask a boon." When he said nothing, she continued. "I am afraid that my husband will soon die. I wish to bring him back to life."

"And for this favour, what will you give me in return?"

Sylvie stopped, unsure of how to proceed. "What does the all-powerful king want in return?"

"Your first born child," he stated flatly.

Nona gasped. Sylvie's eyes filled with tears. How could she give up Nicholas. Somehow, she didn't think he would be raised in a loving environment with the Fae. Those teeth told another fate. She would have to gamble, have to manipulate him.

She stood up and yawned. Where she had the courage to do that, she wasn't sure. "My first born child? I thought you would be more original than that. Taking the first born is such a cliché."

Nona looked at her as if she had taken leave of her senses. Rhiannon smiled approvingly. She sensed the other fairies pressing forward, eager to see what Oberon would do.

What he did was laugh. "You certainly have courage. I like you, Sylvie Turner. I have not been challenged in such a way in centuries so I will let your insult pass. The usual payment is a life for a life. Are you offering yours in place of your son?" Was Oberon reading her mind? How else did he know the sex of her first born?

Nona stepped forward. "I will offer mine in exchange. I am a very powerful witch. My life is worth more than Sylvie's. Besides, there is no point in bringing him back to life if she can't enjoy the rest of his days with him."

"No, Nona," she murmured. "He is my husband."

"You are very powerful, Lady Mary," he agreed, "almost as powerful as another witch I know." He looked at Rhiannon as he said that. "However, you are almost at the end of your time on the world above. Your great-granddaughter though, she has a very long life ahead of her if she refuses my offer. That makes her offer more valuable."

"I have a counter offer. You could take my life now, but what use is it to you? It will give you a small bit of satisfaction but then your life will return to the tedium that I believe it to be. I propose that I offer you half of the time that I have left, give that time to Severus. Before I die, I will come to you and be your servant for you to use however you wish. I'm sure that you will think of many things to amuse you. I will serve you for the same amount of time that I will have lost."

"No, Sylvie. You have no idea what that will involve. You don't even know for sure that Severus will die. Your sacrifice may be in vain," Nona pleaded with her.

"You know as well as I that the wizard will die in the final battle," Oberon said.

Sylvie turned to her great-grandmother. "Is that true, Nona? Did you look ahead and see his death?" Her eyes filled with tears again.

"His current path will result in his death. But the path might change."

"And how likely is that? I don't want to take a chance. This will ensure that Severus will live. If I have a long life ahead of me, giving up half of it will still give me time. Look at how long you have lived eBesides, I can't just sit at home, bemoaning my fate. I have the opportunity to do something about it now, an opportunity I'm not going to miss. We've spent years doing nothing about it. I'm doing something."

"But Sylvie, you don't know what will happen after. It could be so horrible that even a thousand lifetimes with Severus would not be worth it." She turned to the other witch. "What do you think, Rhiannon. You know Oberon."

She looked at the Fae. "What do you have in mind, Oberon?"

"You know what I hunger for. I think I will make her my Bean Si."

She turned back to the witches. "Being a Bean Si, or as you call it, a Banshee, is not so bad. Sylvie will be required to wail at the death of those chosen and to escort their souls to Oberon. My advice is this. The exchange shall be that Sylvie will come to Oberon at the time of her death. She will fulfill the role of Bean Si for the period of time, that being half of her current lifespan. After that time, she shall be released and allowed to pass through the Veil. And Oberon, we are talking about human time, not Fae time."

"Why do you care about the fate of these mortals," he asked laconically.

"Because they are my descendants and because he is her destined love."

"You were always a fool for love, Rhiannon."

"Do you agree to the terms, Oberon?"

"I do."

"Do you agree to the terms, Sylvie?"

"I do."

"Come here, witch. I need a kiss from my… banshee." For a moment, Sylvie thought he was going to say 'bride'.

She slowly approached. Kissing him was the last thing she wanted to do. She kept thinking about those jagged teeth. He stood up, leaned down and took hold of her face, opened his mouth and sucked out what felt like her soul. She tried to scream but could only whimper. Echoing in her brain were the roars of excitement and approval from the other Fae. It almost sounded sexual. She certainly felt violated.

After what seemed to be hours but was only a minute, he let her go. She almost collapsed to the ground but was able to stay upright with the help of Nona and Rhiannon. "The deal has been made, witch. Leave now."

"But," sputtered Sylvie, "how do I save Severus?"

"Save him? I have no idea."

Rhiannon quieted her panic by saying, "Oberon, the boon you granted in exchange for half of her life was to give her the power to bring the dead back to life."

"How kind of you to remind me, Rhiannon," he replied, his tone indicating the exact opposite. "To bring the dead back to life, you must mingle your blood with his and repeat this phrase,"

"_Beloved, I give to you half of my breath, half of my blood, half of my life. Come back to me from beyond the Veil and walk again among the mortal."_

"That's it?"

"That is it. But be aware, you may only use this spell once. I won't have you raising the dead all over the country. The spell must be performed soon after death or there will be no blood to mingle. And remember, he still has to recover from whatever caused his death. So, if he loses his head, bringing him back to life will not do him much good. He will live out half of your life headless, something that he will curse you for." Oberon smiled when he said that, having revealed his 'trick'. Sylvie knew that you could not trust the Fae. They were amused by cruelty. She wished she had had more time to think this out.

"Then we shall have to ensure that he does not lose his head."

"Rhiannon. You are welcome to stay. If you return to the mortal world, it will be as a cat. Here, you can retain your natural form."

"Thank you, Oberon, but no. There are advantages to being a cat. You can sleep all day. You are fed when you are hungry and given unlimited affection. Perhaps you should become a cat?"

His smile looked more like a snarl with those teeth. "I think not."

Rhiannon shrugged. "And by the way, when we return to the mortal world, only half an hour of mortal time shall have passed. Sylvie will not be able to raise her husband if we reappear one hundred years into the future, and, if she can't raise her husband, she doesn't have to be your Bean Si. The first term must be fulfilled in order for the second term to be fulfilled."

This time it was definitely a snarl. "Fine. I will see you when the time has come. You will know."

The trio started down the path. "I feel silly," Sylvie admitted.

"It is not wise to deal with the King of the Aes Sidhe," Rhiannon agreed.

"No, I meant that I called you a silly name like Lizzie and treated you like a child when you are in fact a powerful witch."

Rhiannon laughed. "And how were you to know? I didn't lie when I told Oberon I did not want to return to my natural form. I have been a cat for so long that this form no longer feels natural. Please, call me Lizzie and treat me like a cat, although, you can cease the baby talk."

"Agreed."


	9. Chapter 9

**The Final Battle**

_So long ago, I don't remember when  
That's when they say I lost my only friend  
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease  
As I listened through the cemetery trees_

…

_I'm so alone, and I feel just like somebody else  
Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same  
But somewhere here in between the city walls of dyin' dreams  
I think her death it must be killin' me_

Severus Snape looked out the window at the Forbidden Forest. He thought he had seen a large bird enter and wondered if it was the witch as her animagus. He hadn't seen her since last year in the Forest but he still wondered about her from time to time. She had vowed to save him, but he did not see how she was going to do that and he wasn't sure he wanted to be saved. Patting the pocket that contained Dumbledore's letter, he resisted the temptation to open it. Somehow, he did not think he would live to see the final battle between Voldemort and Potter so he would never know its contents. He had tried to question Dumbledore's portrait on the subject but he remained silent.

Truth be told, leaving this life would be a relief. Perhaps he would see Lily again on the other side of the Veil or perhaps there would be nothing, just a cessation of existence. Either would be better than the life he was living now. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, he was excused from the killing the other Death Eaters did on a regular basis, but then, they hadn't killed Dumbledore. It had been one of the most difficult things he had done, even more difficult than watching the death of Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies professor. It had taken all his control not to show his distress at her death. He could sometimes hear her voice pleading with him in his nightmares, her face changing to Lily's in the dream.

Here he was, Headmaster at last. It had been an ambition of his but he found no joy in it as he was unable to run the school as he would have liked. He was a puppet on a string, being pulled apart by two masters on opposite ends. Instead of a Headmaster, he was more like a policeman on the street keeping the rowdies in check. The Carrows required constant vigilance, ensuring that they didn't kill the students. And he had to put up with the not so subtle hints of Alecto Carrow who wanted to become Mrs. Snape. What she really wanted was to get closer to Voldemort and Snape was her step ladder. Personally, he found her revolting with her irritating giggle, her cruelty and a body that looked like a barrel. Last night, he had caught her trying to sneak into his room. For now, his spells would keep his bedroom safe from invasion.

As Headmaster, he was given very little respect. The regular staff treated him with thinly veiled contempt which was understandable. They thought he was a Death Eater, that he had murdered Dumbledore. McGonagall was especially caustic, a woman he had once considered his friend. Because he had to appear to side with the Carrows, the students detested him even more than when he was Potions master. Rather than face the stares of everyone, he kept to the Headmasters quarters as much as possible. He had a small rebellion from some of the students led by Neville Longbottom. He shook his head. Neville Longbottom. Who would have thought that that mouse of a boy would become such a bold young man. His lips twitched with a smile. He wished he had been there when Longbottom asked Carrow about muggle blood in her family. For once, he would like to be the hero, to take up arms beside Longbottom but he had to maintain the pretense of being a villain.

He spent much of his time alone. Taking a meal in the Great Hall only depressed him further. He could sense the whispered comments. The only time he felt more like himself was when he was in the Forbidden Forest. Sometimes, he would lie in the cave where he had experienced such bliss with the curly haired witch, her faint scent lingering on the bedding. Inside, he mourned that the pleasures he experienced with her would not be in his future. The only thing he could see in his future was pain.

…

Sylvie watched him stride through the forest, her heart yearning to fly down to him. She had lived in the forest for two weeks now. The end was near and she didn't want to miss anything happening to Severus. He looked like he had aged ten years. The pressure of playing the double agent was taking its toll. The pressure was taking its toll on her as well. She felt on edge all the time. She was tired of waiting but terrified of the future.

Ever since they returned from the fairy kingdom, Nona had harassed her about the deal she made with Oberon. She had just thrown away half her life. She was condemned to play the part of a demon. Nona was convinced that Oberon had something planned that would keep Sylvie chained forever. Finally, she yelled at her that she would do the same again. It was better to live half of her life with Severus rather than the rest of her life without him. After that, Nona left her verbally alone but kept cutting her arm and taking her blood every time she sat down. When asked to explain what she was doing, she merely said that it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra blood, just in case. "In case of what?" She refused to say.

She followed him until he entered the castle. Perching on a nearby tree, she kept watch. She felt very unsettled tonight, expecting Voldemort to jump out at every corner. She had no reason to suspect that he was near. It was just the way she felt. A shift in the air currents indicated that someone was approaching above. She shrank back into the tree, fearing the unknown. A birdlike shape approached her, then settled on the branch next to her. Sylvie transformed back into her human self.

"Nona, what are you doing here."

The old woman shifted beside her on the branch. "The Death Eaters are approaching the castle. I think that the event that you have been waiting for is going to happen tonight."

"Where are the twins?"

"They are at the family estate, no doubt having a good time with their cousins."

They transformed back into birds and sat in watch. A shattering of glass alerted them to a large dark shape falling out of a window and then taking off into the night. Both women followed the cloud into the forest. When it landed, they saw Severus Snape breathing raggedly. Sylvie's mind was full of questions. Why had he been thrown out of a window and how did he learn to fly without a broomstick. They followed him through the forest. He seemed to be searching for someone. Finally, he came upon the other Death Eaters and joined them in the march toward the castle.

…

They had finally done it. They had forced him from his post as Headmaster. The only thing that surprised him was that he had lasted this long. He still had one final task, find Harry Potter and tell him the last thing he needed to know to defeat Voldemort. Potter must die, but, at the same time, kill Voldemort. How Potter would accomplish that was not his concern. He suspected that Potter was in the castle but had no proof. He was near, of that Snape was sure. He couldn't be so lucky as to find him in the forest but Snape kept looking. Instead of Potter, he found the other Death Eaters.

Joining them on the attack on Hogwarts, Snape reasoned that if he could gain entrance into the castle, he would find Potter and fulfill his last promise. Then, he could die. He took care to stun his 'enemies' rather than cause them actual harm. He just needed to get to the doors. His progress was stopped by Malfoy. "Have you seen Draco?" When Snape shook his head, he said, "The Dark Lord wants to see you at the Shrieking Shack." Snape felt his arm burn with the summons. There was no avoiding it. He had to abandon his search.

He arrived at the Shrieking Shack to find Voldemort and Nagini. The snake was floating in the air in some kind of invisible enclosure. Snape found he could not look away from the bizarre sight. Her red eyes were fixed on him and her body was twisting in a rhythmic motion. Snape had once heard Dumbledore quote some muggle nonsense that the eyes were the window to the soul. If they were then this creature had no soul at all, just emptiness, much like its master. It was like looking Death in the face.

"What did you wish of me, my lord?" What Voldemort wanted soon became clear. He believed that he could not tap the power of the Elder Wand because Snape had defeated Dumbledore, the previous owner of the wand, not Voldemort himself. Therefore, Voldemort must kill Snape to gain the power of the wand. He tried to persuade him that all he needed was Potter, and he would deliver Potter to him but he knew that the Dark Lord would not change his mind. He was to die. He was ready. His only regret was that he was not able to keep his last promise.

The manner of his death was unexpected. Instead of killing him himself, Voldemort set Nagini on him. Oddly enough he felt no fear, at least not at that moment, just a slight relief, his excuse for a life was finally going to be over. He was done. The snake's enclosure opened above him. He began to wonder what it would be like when he had died when the snake reared its head and stabbed towards him, sinking its razor sharp fangs into the meat of his left shoulder. That brought him back to the moment. The pain was unbearable and he lost all thought and reasoning as every muscle in his body screamed at him, telling him that he was in danger, that he was dying, but his body would not respond and he felt his life slipping away as the blood drained from his body. What was this wet warm liquid streaming down his torso and soaking him? He couldn't process a rational though as his brain screamed at him that he had to get away, that something was tearing his body apart. 'Let it be over,' he kept thinking but the pain did not lessen and the blood did not stop.

When the pain had reached its zenith, he noticed two figures outlined in front of him, blurring as he tried to focus in on them. Potter and Granger were in front of him. He would be able to relay his message after all. There wasn't enough time for speech and he doubted he was capable of it anyways. Or at least anything that was more than a strained groan. He raised a shaking hand to his head, agony wracking his body, amazed that it was obeying his command and reached into his mind and pulled out the memories that Potter would need to defeat Voldemort. His task was fulfilled, he had done his duty. Now he could die in peace knowing it hadn't been for nothing. Looking into those green eyes, so like Lily's, he saw her face. She was waiting for him. A faint smile played across her face, her eyes shimmering. Joy seized him. So she was waiting for him, at last Lily, the one person he had ever felt something for, the one person who had treated him as a human being, the one person he actually loved. He experienced a rush of emotions only to have it snatched away as the face changed into the witch with the brilliant blue eyes. No! He didn't want his last thought to be of her!

…

Sylvie and Nona followed him to the Shrieking Shack. Flying in through a shattered window in the second story, they transformed into their human forms and slipped down the stairway. Hiding in the shadows, they could see the two men and the snake through the doorway. Bits of conversation drifted their way. It had something to do with the Elder Wand not working the way it should. Sylvie could see resignation in Sev's eyes and had a powerful premonition that this was the moment. This was the moment she had been waiting for. This was the moment when they would find out if the spell really worked, if she would bring Severus back to life and if they would be able to cure him from his manner of death so that he could live a normal life. And after that, she would find out if it was all worth it, if he would return her love. She was so afraid that she was shaking and her heart hammered in her chest in a steady thrum, so loud she was sure they would hear it and kill them both.

The method of attack was a surprise. Instead of disposing of Snape himself, Voldemort sent the snake on him. Her scream was not noticed as Nona used a silencing spell on her so that she made no noise. The sight of him dying tore at her, her heart seemed to suddenly go silent, no longer thrumming in a thunderous tempo but flat lining, eerily absent. Nona held her back as her body strained to run to him. She was almost blinded by tears and sobbed silently, her mind seizing up as a million thoughts and images of their previous life rushed her and yet at the same time not a single thing was there. Her mind was empty, blank, void of anything but one echoing thought. He is gone. He is gone. They waited as Voldemort left the building with his snake, only to find Harry Potter and Hermione Granger appear at Snape's side. Sylvie felt a flare of hope. Maybe Potter would save him! But that did not happen. Instead, they watched as Severus drew silver wisps from his head which they put in a bottle. She silently screamed again as he grew still. Death had taken him.

Once they left, Nona released the spell and wished she hadn't as Sylvie's wailing filled the Shrieking Shack, a desolate sound that she did not recognize as her own exploding from her throat in a vicious and endless stream. It may have lasted for hours or a single second, she couldn't tell. 'With a cry like that, she was going to make a very good banshee', Nona thought to herself. Slapping her hard across the face, she snapped, "Get ahold of yourself. We have work to do."

Sylvie bit back her tears as she knelt beside her dead husband. "We'd best take him back to the cottage to do this," Nona advised. She nodded.

"Just what are you doing with him," screeched a voice. They looked up to find a squat, red faced woman, hair pulled tight back into a bun glaring at them. Although they didn't know it, it was Alecto Carrow who had managed to escape from her bonds when the castle was under attack. Sylvie spotted the Dark Mark on her arm the same time as Nona.

"Stupefy!" Both women yelled the spell at the same time as the stranger pointed her wand at them. Their spell reached its target, rendering the stranger unconscious.

"Who is that," Nona asked.

"I haven't the slightest idea. This place is incredibly busy for a building that everyone avoids because it's haunted. Let's go home."


	10. Chapter 10

**Resurrection**

_There is no pain you are receding  
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.  
You are only coming through in waves.  
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.  
When I was a child  
I caught a fleeting glimpse  
Out of the corner of my eye  
I turned to look but it was gone  
I cannot put my finger on it now  
The child is grown,  
The dream is gone._

Alecto Carrow came back to consciousness to find herself alone. Snape and the two witches were gone. Who the hell were they and why had they killed Snape, or had they. Perhaps he wasn't dead. Her dreams of power were crumbling just as sure as Hogwarts was crumbling under attack. For the past year, she had been so happy. The Dark Lord had returned, and, in reward for her loyalty, she had been given the student body of Hogwarts to play with. Given time, she would have had Snape under her control as well. As his wife, she would be next in line to be Headmaster, a title she would not have to share with her brother. If, after their marriage, Snape should suffer a mishap, then so be it.

Everyone has one thing that they are especially good at. For Guilderoy Lockhart, it was the memory charm, for Alecto Carrow, it was the tracing spell. Too bad she hadn't the foresight to cast it on Longbottom before he disappeared. She would dearly have loved to track him down and inflict the final punishment. However, she had cast it on the curly haired witch. If she had Severus, she would find him, if she still needed him, that is. Time would tell whether she would be following the trail that led to Severus Snape.

…

He was alone in the dark. Was he dead, in limbo between life and death? He thought he heard someone calling him. Through the darkness appeared a faint light in the distance. There seemed to be voices coming from the light. As he moved toward them, he felt that this was the way he was supposed to go, that when he reached that light, he would find comfort and reward. Lily was in that light, he was sure of it. Back towards the darkness, he heard another voice. It was that witch, Sylvie, the mysterious stranger who kept reappearing in his life for some unexplained reason. She was calling him. "Severus, come back to me. Severus." Her voice pulled him back into the darkness, away from the light, away from his reward, away from Lily.

…

Severus Snape awoke in a bed. He had to admit, it was a very comfortable bed. He raised his hand to brush the hair out of his eyes. What was wrong with his hair. It certainly didn't feel like his hair. Someone had washed it. Gone was the grease he usually felt. Instead, his hair felt soft. What version of hell was he in?

Further exploration found that someone had washed his body and brushed his teeth. There was an unfamiliar minty taste in his mouth that was associated with toothpaste. Why would someone do this? He was dressed in a long nightshirt, his shoulder was bandaged with a poultice against his wound. He wasn't dead. Had the curly haired witch saved him after all? It would seem so as he could detect her faint scent on the pillow beside him.

He lay perfectly still, using his senses to uncover more information. Delicious food smells came from another area of the house. Bird sounds drifted in through the open window, a window that was draped with a curtain but not so heavy as to disguise the fact that it was daytime. The sheets that covered his body were soft against his skin, a luxury he wasn't used to. The bed itself was large. He could make out runes carved on the posts through his half opened eyes. A dull throbbing announced that he was still wounded but it was nowhere near the pain he had felt at the time of his death? Did he die?

Faint whispering came from the end of the bed. Someone was in the room with him. He opened his eyes to find two pairs of dark eyes staring back at him from the end of the bed. Two small dark heads belonged to the staring eyes. Were they children or dwarves? The heads didn't move, staring at him. Finally one of the heads whispered to the other, "I think he sees us."

He sat bolt upright and gasped at the pain. The children jumped back. They were children. "Who are you," he croaked.

The boy took this as an invitation to climb up on the bed. "I'm Nicholas and this is my sister Sophia." The girl tentatively followed him. They sat on each side of him.

They were twins, about four years old, he guessed. The boy had dark curly hair, similar to the witch Sylvie's hair. Both children had a beak nose, much like his own at that age. He touched his own nose, subconsciously. Warm chocolate brown eyes belonged to the boy while the girl had black eyes, like his own. 'Why do I keep comparing their features to mine', he thought, irritably. 'And like his own', he couldn't seem to stop doing it, 'the girl had long, black, straight hair. Not like mine', he thought, 'it isn't greasy'. 'Your hair isn't greasy now, either,' whispered back Traitorous Snape.

"Where am I," he questioned.

"At home," was the simple answer. That didn't tell him anything.

Children didn't sprout up on their own. "Where are your parents?"

The twins exchanged a look of surprise. The girl gave a nervous giggle. "Momma is in the kitchen with Nona," she said softly.

"And you're right here, Poppa," the boy yelled with happiness, bouncing up and down on the bed.

He felt like he was choking on his tongue in his haste to deny it. No! He wasn't their father! There was no possible way he could be their father. They had been fooled by someone and his suspicion was soon verified when the curly haired witch came into the room. HER! The one who had stolen his moment of happiness. She had pulled him from Lily. He was supposed to be with Lily! She looked thinner than she had before and she was very pale, worn out. Her gait was slow.

"Nicholas. Sophia," she scolded. "What are you doing in here. I told you not to bother your father."

"But Momma," the girl whined, "we really, really, really wanted to see him. We've waited soooo long."

"Go. Now. Outside. Poppa has to rest for a little bit and then you can see him." Reluctantly, the children obeyed their mother, the girl casting one last look over her shoulder at him with longing in her eyes.

He just stared at her, not sure what to say first. She took care of that. "I know you have many questions and I will answer them all. First, yes, they are your children. You are their father." His attention was momentarily diverted by movement at the opposite window. There were the twins, faces pressed against the glass, spying on them.

"I need to warn you. We have an audience." He indicated the observers behind her. She flicked her wand and the children went tumbling down from whatever perch they were on. Muffled sounds of their indignation caused the witch to investigate. She opened the window.

"You're fine. Now go visit Sadie." She shut the window and turned back to him. "You can't blame them. They've waited all of their lives to meet their father."

"How can I be their father," was all he could say.

She laughed. "In the usual way, I can assure you. The very first time we met. I seduced you in your house at Spinner's End. They are a result of that union."

"No," he whispered. It wasn't true, this was all wrong. He should be dead.

She stood with her hands on her hips. "You can't possibly deny that they are your children. Sophia looks just like you and Nicholas has a lot of your physical characteristics as well. If you want, I can prove it with a blood test."

"What are you talking about?" More nonsense.

She realized that he would have no idea of the muggle method of proving paternity. "Never mind. Do you at least admit the possibility that you are their father?"

"Yes," he gave in grudgingly. "But why. Why would you go to all of this trouble."

"Because I love you. Because I am your wife."

At that pronouncement, the world went black. Severus Snape fainted.

When he gained consciousness again, she was sitting on the side of the bed. "What happened?"

"You fainted."

"Severus Snape does not faint," he said with contempt.

"My mistake. You were so overwhelmed at learning that we are married that your blood stopped flowing causing a temporary loss of oxygen to the brain which resulted in your being in a horizontal position with a momentary lack of awareness." He wasn't entirely sure, but he thought she had just said again that he fainted. She lost some colour and looked like she was going to faint herself.

"I have to lie down. I'm still recovering from your death." She lay her head on the pillow next to him. Her blue eyes looked earnestly at him. She really had the most remarkable eyes. They were different degrees of blue intermingled with small flecks of green. Tendrils of hair slid over and caressed his face.

He was momentarily distracted by her hair. "Your hair is growing back," he murmured. "Why did you cut it?"

"Oh well, it seemed a good idea at the time," she said casually. She certainly didn't want to discuss why she had cut her hair. An immediate change of subject was needed. "Let's start with your death. Yes, you did die. I brought you back to life with a spell."

He immediately saw red. "How dare you! What right did you have to bring me back to life. You should have left me dead."

Her eyes widened in astonishment. Her mouth gaped open a little. "How can you say that? Who would prefer to be dead rather than alive."

"I would. I was supposed to die. You disrupted the natural order of things." He glared angrily at her.

She sat up. "Disrupted the natural order! I'm a witch. I disrupt the natural order of things all the time. Do you think it is natural that I can do this?" With another flick of her wand, the bedsheets were stripped from his body, exposing his hairy, skinny legs and large bare feet. He angrily gathered the sheets and pulled them up to his chin.

"Why would you want to be dead? What do you think happens to you after death?" She was uncanny at how she was able to get to the crux of the matter so quickly.

"What happens to you after death is that you see the people you loved," he trumped.

"Is that so? Well, you are alive and you're looking at someone who loves you right now." She didn't sound like she loved him. She sounded like she wanted to throttle him. He saw when she comprehended what he wasn't saying. "I get it now. You thought that you would see Lily again. May I remind you that even dead, she would still be married to James Potter? Don't you think she would want to spend eternity with the man she loves, her husband, not someone she totally rejected back at school."

He totally lost it. He roared at her in rage. "Well, little Miss Know-It-All. It so happens that I was going to see Lily. She was right there, waiting for me. And you, you! You pulled me back. All I had to put up with. Saint Potter who could do no wrong. Sirius Black and his smugness. Knowing that all the people I considered my friends despised me. Pretending that I enjoyed the brutality of the other Death Eaters. Keeping my thoughts from Voldemort. I was finally going to be rewarded for the years of service I gave Dumbledore. But you came along. You stole my happiness!"

"Dumbledore was the one who stole your happiness," she screeched at him. Blood rushed from her face, her large eyes staring at him from a white mask. She was breathing heavily. During their altercation, she had been kneeling on the bed. Now she collapsed on it.

An elderly woman rushed into the room. "Sylvie," her voice filled with concern. She glared at him.

"It's all right, Nona. I just overdid it."

"Lie down. Lunch is ready. I'll bring it here." She returned shortly with a bowl of soup, followed by a house elf carrying an identical bowl on two bed trays. She set the lunch up in front of the two of them. "No more yelling. Just eat. After you get your strength up, you can scream at each other some more."

They gave each other sideways glances as they silently ate their soup. Colour had returned to her face and she looked healthier. They washed their lunch down with a cup of herbal tea. When they were finished, she asked the old woman where the children were.

"Don't worry. I've asked Fiona to keep them at the main house for the afternoon."

"Thanks, Nona."

After the old woman had changed his poultice, they were alone again. "What did you.. Why do you." They both spoke at once.

"You first," he said.

She considered her words. Finally she said, "You said that Lily Potter," he gritted his teeth at that name, "was waiting for you. Why did you think that?"

"Just before I died, Harry Potter was there. I looked into his eyes and saw her. I saw her face." He spoke quietly.

"Is that all? That doesn't mean that she was waiting for you. You were looking into Harry Potter's eyes. You've told me before that he has his mother's eyes. Your brain wanted to see her so it superimposed her face onto his."

He looked at her doubtfully. "There's more. When I was 'dead'," he stumbled over the word, "I was in a dark place. I heard someone calling me. There was a light. I knew that if I moved toward the light, she would be waiting for me on the other side."

"That was me calling you. I was calling you back to me."

"It wasn't you," he snarled, "not the first time."

"The first time?"

"I heard you. I heard you calling. You pulled me back. You pulled me back from the other side. There was someone else calling."

"Did it sound like Lily?"

"Well, no. I couldn't really tell who it was. But I know it was her." He was determined that it was her.

"Then maybe it was someone else. Maybe it was your mother. Maybe it was me, calling you from far away. Think about it logically. I know that you loved her but she didn't return the sentiment. She would not be waiting for you." She said it with such absolute certainty.

He turned away from her, tears stinging his eyes. Deep down, he knew she was right but he wasn't ready to admit it. Not yet. Not when he had been so close to being with Lily again, at least possibly. He felt incredibly tired and dejected and didn't have the energy to argue with her anymore. He just wanted to close his eyes and never wake up. Her breathing pulled him back.

"What's wrong with you," he asked.

"Are you asking physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? You'll have to be more specific."

He inwardly smiled at her words. She had the same sense of sarcasm as he did. He shook that thought off. "I mean physically. What did you mean by 'still recovering from my death'?"

"The spell I used, it took a lot out of me."

"What spell did you use? I know of no spell to bring back the dead."

"It wasn't easy to find. I didn't realize it would require so much sacrifice on my part. "_Beloved, I give to you half of my breath, half of my blood, half of my life. Come back to me from beyond the Veil and walk again among the mortal." _That was the enchantment. Let me start at the beginning."

She settled back among the pillows. "I knew that something was going to happen soon so I camped out in the Forbidden Forest and kept watch over the castle. I would catch a glimpse of you sometimes. I wanted to fly down to you so badly and take you away but I promised Dumbledore I would wait." She held up her hand. "Save your questions for the end. Just let me get this out. Anyway, Nona and I followed you to the Shrieking Shack. I saw, we saw…" She stopped, tears starting. "You know what we saw. After everyone had left, Nona and I took you back here."

"Just one question. What happened in the battle?"

"Harry Potter killed Voldemort. He is gone for good. The Death Eaters were defeated," she recapped.

"Voldemort is not gone for good if Potter is alive. Part of Voldemort is in Potter, in his scar," he said heavily.

"Apparently Voldemort killed Potter. He gave himself up and Voldemort killed him without a fight. But I guess he wasn't quite dead because he came back to life. All I know is what was reported in the Daily Prophet and that was that he's gone for good."

"When we returned with your body, we laid you out on the bed. Nona started making potions to combat the snake bite and the loss of blood."

"Turns out we didn't have to worry about loss of blood for you." Nona entered the room and took up the tale. "The spell required Sylvie's blood to mingle with yours as she chanted. She cut her wrist and held it up to your neck. As soon as she finished the words, her wrist was fused to your shoulder, blood pouring out of her body into yours. You sat up, grasped her head and sucked the breath out of her. I had suspected before that the spell would be literal. Half of her blood went into your body, half her breath. Thank God her lungs didn't collapse. I'm not sure what I would have done then."

"Half her blood," he said incredulously. "Doesn't a person die from losing half of the blood from their body."

"Normally, but I was prepared. Her body shut down and she went into a coma. I had stored some of her blood previously and replaced some of what she had lost. The potions I was going to use on you to increase blood production, I used on her instead. Teeny and I were very busy keeping both of you alive. We had to make sure that any poison from the snake bite was neutralized. I wasn't going to do all that work to save you, only to have you die again a day later."

"How long was she in a coma," he asked.

"Three days. You regained consciousness the day after she did."

"The spell also mentioned that you would give me half of your life. What did that mean?"

Sylvie interrupted, "My blood and my breath are what I need to stay alive so I gave you half my life." Nona glared at her for the lie but said nothing. "When I cast the spell, I was pulled into that dark place as well. At first, I couldn't see anything. Then I saw a faint light in the far distance so I started towards it. I called for you. I called your name as I was walking. And then I saw you, walking towards the light as well. I started running, yelling at you, 'Severus, come back to me.' You stopped and turned back towards me. Then I woke up here, in bed with you. So, the person calling your name was me."

His face was thunderous again. "Why? Why did you do it? Why do you think we are married?"

She sighed, suddenly looking much older than she was. Her whole face seemed to collapse. "I have a story to tell you. Once upon a time, there was a young woman, well maybe not so young anymore, who felt her life was going nowhere. Let's call her Sylvie. She was offered a position at a school as a teacher's assistant. She would help the other Professors with their lessons, even taking a few by herself. The school was very different from what she was used to, very old fashioned. She wasn't sure she would be able to adapt to their backwards ways. There was a bright light in her life, a certain Professor her age that she felt an instant connection to. He, however, wanted nothing to do with her. We'll call him Severus. Through persistence, a bet and sex appeal, she was able to wear down his defenses. They became lovers. Most of the other professors, with the exception of Lockhart, the idiot, who wanted her himself, approved of the affair."

"However, the Headmaster was not in favour. He insinuated things to drive them apart. It almost worked, but he was dismissed from the school for a time which brought their affair to the point where they became engaged. They were married at the end of the school year."

"The next year and a half passed quickly. Soon after they were married, they were expecting twins. We'll call them Nicholas and Sophia. It seemed to Sylvie that all of her dreams had come to fruition. She was in love and she had her own family. There was one blight on the landscape of their happiness. The Headmaster had used Severus in the past as a double agent. He wished to do so again. Severus was finding it difficult to fall into that role again. He feared for the safety of his wife and children. In the past, he had nothing to live for so he had taken great risks. Now, he very much wanted to live. He had kept his promise from so long ago. Didn't he deserve some happiness now? Hadn't he paid enough for his actions in the past?" Her voice rose and she became flushed with anger. She took a moment to settle down and then resumed her tale.

"About half way through the year of the Triwizard Tournament, he had a dream. In the dream, the one he feared threatened his family. The dream was more than a dream. His Dark Mark burned when he woke up and their wedding photo was missing. He told his wife that they were leaving the school at Christmas and would live in the country she came from. The risk was too great. His new family was too important to him. He told the Headmaster of his decision. The Headmaster told him he would take care of everything. Severus took this to mean that he would find a new potions master to take over after Christmas."

"But that is not what the Headmaster meant at all. That night, he performed a very powerful piece of magic. He went back into the past and changed his decision about hiring the Canadian woman to help out at Hogwarts. Sylvie did not leave her home, did not meet Severus, did not have her family and her happiness. Dumbledore stole our happiness! He changed the past. He was the one who disturbed the natural order of things!" She had jumped off the bed and faced him with her fists clenched, ready to take on the world with her anger.

He stared at her. She was insane. That was the only explanation. She had invented this whole fantasy life and for some reason, it involved him. Maybe in her demented state, she had seen him in Diagon Alley or somewhere like that and lucky him had become the object of her delusion. "I don't believe you," he said flatly.

"Of course you don't because you've been brainwashed all these years by someone who did not have your best interests at heart. I have proof that all of this happened just as I said." She picked up a frame that was lying face down on the bedside table. She shoved it in front of his face. "There. That is the only thing I've been able to retrieve from the true past." The picture was a wedding photo. The couple kissed and then turned towards the camera. She was shining with happiness. He was scowling, looking ready to kill whoever was holding the camera. He felt light headed and he felt like he was going to be sick to his stomach. "For a happy moment, I don't look very happy."

To his surprise, she laughed. "Colin Creevey took the photo. You were ready to rip the camera out of his hands but I said how nice it would be to have a photo of our wedding. Because you loved me so much, you didn't maim Colin."

He looked at her suspiciously. He still didn't believe a word she said. She had used some spell to manufacture the photo. It proved nothing. "How is it that you know all of this. If Dumbledore changed the past, you should have no memory of what never happened."

"I didn't. When the letter came from Hogwarts saying that there were no positions for me at the school, I was absolutely devastated. I knew that I was supposed to go to Hogwarts. I was so confident about it that Nona suspected that something had happened to change my destiny. She concocted a potion that showed me the true course of events. While I was in the trance, watching my life as it was supposed to be, I took the wedding photo. Of course, I wanted to fly straight to England and snatch you away but my family convinced me that Dumbledore would have taken safety measures to ensure that that didn't happen. Plus, it all sounds like a crazy tale." He raised his eyebrows at that. It was a crazy tale.

"I don't understand why you at least don't know some of this. Dumbledore was supposed to tell you. He promised me." Her brows knit together and she had on her angry face again. He thought back to the letter Dumbledore had given him, the letter that he was not to open until the final battle had been fought.

"Where are my clothes?"

"They are hanging up in the closet. When you are strong enough, you can get dressed and come outside. Do you feel ready to go outside?"

They were interrupted by the old woman. "The twins are back and they are very eager to come in."

Eyes wide, she jumped on the bed again. She took his hand in hers and pleaded. "Severus, I know you are angry with me but please don't take it out on the children. They have waited so long to meet their father and are so excited that it is finally happening."

"The man they think is their father," he grumbled.

Steel came into her voice. "You are their father. Regardless, please be kind to them. They are so very young and their feelings are easily bruised, especially Sophia. They love you."

"I don't love them. I don't even know them."

"Exactly, so please give yourself time to get to know them. They are wonderful children, very intelligent, kind and brave. Just like you." She left the room to gather her progeny.

Humph he thought. 'Kind I am not. Most people describe me as a self-serving coward.' His face darkened in anger. He could hear high excited voices in the other room. He felt panic. Small versions of her were going to burst through that door and overwhelm him with their feelings. She was a bundle of pure emotion. He spied another door and rushed into what turned out to be a washroom just as the other door opened.

He could imagine their looks of dismay as they saw an empty bed. "Where's Poppa," he heard a small voice question.

"Severus?" The curly haired witch called out.

He couldn't hide in here all day. "I'm here," he said.

"Now, remember. Poppa is still very weak. You are not to jump on him or talk loudly. Try to remain calm and use your indoor voices. Poppa needs to rest." She's making me sound like an invalid. "He can't go riding or exploring the woods. When he is better, he will do all those things and more with you."

'I have no intention of doing any of those things.' He stomped back into the bedroom to say just that but was stopped by the sight that greeted him. There they were, small versions of himself looking anxiously at him. The boy was holding up a picture he had drawn that he guessed was supposed to be the four of them. At the top, it said 'Welcome home Poppa'. The girl was holding a bunch of flowers that she had obviously picked herself. Some of them included the root dripping with dirt. He saw his own face in hers reflected back. She was too thin, just like he had been at that age. Nervousness showed as she bit her lower lip. Dark eyes looked timidly at him through her too long bangs. There were a lot of expectations of him at this moment and he wasn't sure how to react to that.

The little girl stepped forward and thrust the flowers at him, looking down at the ground. "These are for you," she said quietly.

He took the offering and said a simple, "Thank you."

The boy, encouraged, pushed forward with his picture. "And I made this for you," he said loudly.

"Inside voice," hissed his mother.

"And I made this for you," he said again with less volume. "See, it's our family. That's Sophia. That one's me and there's you and Momma." He beamed with pride at what he considered an excellent rendering.

Sylvie bustled forward. "Poppa needs to get back into bed. I'll go make him a cup of tea. You two can sit on the bed and tell him about your day with your cousins."

'No,' he silently pleaded. 'Don't leave me alone with them. I have no idea what to do.' She either didn't hear his telepathic message or she was ignoring it. She left the room but left the door open.

The twins clambered onto the bed, sitting on either side of him as they had done before. The girl, Sophia, took his hand in hers and smiled at him. Nicholas launched into a litany of all the things he had done that day which seemed to include defeating dragons, casting nice spells on trolls and taming a unicorn.

"They weren't real dragons, Poppa. We used our imaginations," Sophia explained, "and the unicorn was Nicholas' horse, Sadie."

"They could have been real dragons," her brother retorted, "and I would have made them cry."

Sylvie returned with tea and cookies and juice for the twins. "I'm sure you would have, Nicholas. You are very brave, just like your Poppa."

No wonder they were so happy to see him. She seemed to have built him up to be the most wonderful person in the world. What exactly had she been telling them. Whatever it was, it was all part of her manipulation.

It was a very uncomfortable tea time. No one knew what to say, everything was so new. The little girl, Sophia, offered him the last cookie, then beamed with pleasure when he took it. Sylvie took the twins with her, saying that he had to have a nap

He didn't need a nap. Honestly, he wasn't two, he thought to himself as he yawned. Maybe he'd close his eyes for a few minutes. He thought of the recent events and started to smile. She was absolutely ridiculous, pulling the sheets down on him to prove that she could do 'unnatural' things. He hid his chuckles in the pillow. It had been a long time since anyone had made Severus Snape laugh.


	11. Chapter 11

**Tying Up Loose Ends**

_And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife  
And you may ask yourself-Well...How did I get here?_

Snape sat on a comfortable chair in the garden. He was supposed to be reading the Daily Prophet but the words were darting to and fro in front of his eyes. He was too tired to try to make sense out of the dancing letters. Instead, he fingered the letter in his pocket, a letter he had read several times since he read it furtively while he was supposedly napping. He still did not believe its contents. He could almost recite it word for word as he had read it so many times, trying to find the truth of it.

_Severus,_

_If you are reading this, then Lord Voldemort must have suffered a final defeat, otherwise, this letter would have burst into flames. You are most likely with an attractive dark haired witch named Sylvie Turner and she has no doubt told you an incredible story of how you were supposed to meet at Hogwarts, marry and have twins. You do not remember any of these occurrences because I went back in time and changed the patterns of destiny so that you would not meet at Hogwarts. You will discount this story as utter hogwash, a fabrication of a woman who is obviously mental. As difficult as it will be to believe, all that she tells you is true. Sylvie Turner did come to Hogwarts. You were married. You had twins. Your newfound loyalty to your family threatened all that I had so carefully orchestrated. I went back to change my decision regarding the hiring of Sylvie Turner. I deeply regret the actions that I was forced to take but I would not change them. Your particular talents are vital to the defeat of Voldemort. If I had allowed you to leave Hogwarts, to live in Canada with your new wife and family, we would have lost an irreplaceable spy. I could not risk the loss of your intelligence._

_Now you have a second chance. Your wife is a very special woman. I am thankful that she allowed you to keep your promise, to bring down Voldemort. In turn, I gave her information that I believe will aid her if she needs to reverse death. I hope that she will not have to use that information. Know Severus that she loves you very much and that when you were together in that other life, you felt the same. I am also happy that she found a way to guarantee the existence of your children. I know that I have not always treated you well, Severus. I want you to know that I am very grateful for all the assistance you have given me over the years, that I am very proud of you, that I think of you as the child I never had. We share more in common than you know. _

_Enjoy your new life, Severus. I know that you will doubt these words. Remember the night I revealed to you that Harry Potter must die for Voldemort to be truly defeated. You conjured your Patronus, the doe. I said, "after all this time," and you replied, "always". No one else knows of this, Severus. I have kept your secret all of these years. _

_ Albus Dumbledore_

The letter could still be a fake. She could have taken the real letter from his clothing while he was unconscious and substituted this one. 'But how did she know about the Patronus,' Traitorous Snape questioned. 'She could have taken it from my mind,' Loyal Snape retorted. 'You can't seriously believe that she is skilled in Legilimency. Her every thought is displayed on her face. Anyone who can steal the thoughts of others would also be skilled in hiding their own.' 'She could be an excellent actress who only seems to reveal her thoughts.' He had to admit that Loyal Snape's argument sounded weak. The woman did not try to hide anything. Not only could he guess the direction of her thoughts from her face, she also told him and showed him everything. She had no sense of modesty whatsoever. It had been a week since he had first woken up in her bed, a bed he hadn't expected to have to share with her. When she had emerged from the washroom in her nightgown that first night, he had thought she would continue onto some other room. Instead, she crawled into bed with him.

"What are you doing," he asked, horrified.

"Going to bed," she stated like there was nothing wrong with that.

"Here?" His voice was high and squeaky with shock.

"It is my bed," she said with eyebrows raised.

"Isn't there another bed that you can sleep in?"

"No, there isn't. There are only two bedrooms and the twins are in the other."

"What about your great-grandmother? Where does she sleep?"

"Before you came, she slept with me. Now she sleeps at the castle."

"Castle?"

"This is the estate of my Nona's family in Ireland. She was born in that castle. We are staying in the Honeymoon House because Nona felt it was no longer safe in London so I sold my house and we moved here."

So he had seen her in London that time in Diagon Alley. Who knows how many times she had watched him, hidden by her disguise. Her nightgown looked like an oversized shirt. There was nothing remotely sexual about it but the sight of her bare legs aroused him. He remembered what it was like to have those legs wrapped around his as he pounded into her. Stop! Stop! Stop! Get control of yourself, he thought.

She rearranged her pillow to her liking and then said, "Don't worry. I won't attack you… tonight. Your modesty is safe for now." He could hear her softly laughing to herself. And for the rest of the week, she had left him alone, sleeping soundly. He, however, found it almost impossible to sleep with her next to him. For one thing, she did not stay in one spot but would wander over and end up cuddled next to him. Finally, he cast a spell that created an invisible barrier between them so that she stayed on her side. But that was only part of the problem. His lust took over his reason and images of sexual activities crowded his head. It wasn't helped by the fact that she had no problem undressing in front of him. He tried to turn away but somehow his eyes would take in her bare body of their own volition. Seeing led to the desire to touch, thus his torturous nights.

There was also the fact that the woman was a furnace. Heat radiated off her at night, making him even more aware of her presence. She would be nice to sleep with in the winter, not that he intended to be here in the winter. 'Then why am I here now? Why not leave?' But where would he go? He couldn't go back to Hogwarts and he couldn't go back to his childhood home. He felt shell shocked, incapable of movement, incapable of making any decisions. Here, all the decisions were made for him. Time to eat, time to sleep, time to read to the twins. He was operating on autopilot, not really feeling anything, just existing. Without her, he did not know what he would do, where he would go. 'Without her, I would not have to make any decisions because I would be dead and I would see Lily again,' he thought angrily. 'But would you really?' He was starting to doubt that the voice had been hers.

He looked over to where she was lounging in her chair. She looked so innocent, her book on her lap, watching the children playing. They were blowing bubbles, changing them into various distorted animals. It was a contest as to who could make the funniest. Shrieks of their laughter broke the quiet of the afternoon. His children, it was hard to believe. If he were to imagine that he had children, they would be nothing like these two. They looked so carefree and why not. They were doted on by their mother and Nona. They were secure in the fact that they were loved, something he had never experienced himself. No, he would have pictured his children as copies of himself as a child, reticent, insecure, uneasy in his skin. These children were confident, noisy, and happy, but, despite the amount of time Sylvie spent with them and the amount of material possessions they had, they were not spoiled. He was surprised at how respectful they were. Indeed, they often looked at him to see if he approved of their actions.

And that was another thing. When he was growing up, he was expected to entertain himself. She did all sorts of things with them and expected him to participate. He had to admit that he enjoyed the walks in the woods, pointing out plants to the twins and explaining their uses. Sophia seemed particularly interested. However, bathing them was not something he thought he should be doing. The first time she had asked him to give them their bath, he had looked at her with disbelief. Shouldn't they be doing that on their own and if not, wasn't that the mother's job? Seeing his look, she explained that the twins were quite capable of washing themselves. He only had to wash their hair and help dry them off. After that, he was supposed to assist with the putting on of pyjamas and the reading of bedtime stories. He found the whole experience extremely uncomfortable. Like their mother, they were entirely unabashed with their nudity. He had no idea where to look when they stripped off their clothes and jumped into the bathtub. As instructed, he washed their hair, handed them towels to dry themselves off and told them to change themselves.

When he entered their bedroom to complete the duty of reading a bedtime story, he found them waiting for them on their couch, one on each end. Gingerly, he sat between them. The girl had a book in her hand.

"Is this what you want me to read," he asked, gruffly.

"No Poppa. I'm going to read to you since you like us to do stuff ourselves."

She opened up a yellow book and started to read.

"One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

Black fish, blue fish, old fish, new fish.

This one has a little star. This one has a little car. Say! What a lot of fish there are."

She showed him the simplistic drawings of what were supposed to be fish on each page, but they did not look like any fish he had ever seen. One fish had spectacles. Another was pushing a baby carriage. What drivel was she reading? There was no plot to this book. It did not tell of how fish could be used in potions.

"Yes. Some are red. And some are blue. Some are old. And some are new.

Some are sad. And some are glad. And some are very, very bad.

Why are they sad and glad and bad? I do not know. Go ask your dad."

They both looked at him as if expecting him to voice an opinion on the emotions of fish. He looked at them, aghast. "What are you reading?"

"It's Dr. Seuss." Sylvie came into the bedroom.

"Why are they reading this nonsense about fish?"

"It's not the content that matters. The rhyming helps young children with language development and the silliness of the stories gives them a love of reading. Why don't you read to them instead? Here, read them _The King of the Golden River_."

He looked at it curiously. "Is this a muggle book? Does it concern fish?"

"It is a muggle book but you will find the story similar to _The Tale of the Three Brothers_. From what I remember, there are no fish in the story. You don't have to read the whole thing, just the first chapter will suffice." The children wiggled as close to him as they could get without actually climbing on his lap. He was not accustomed to people touching him so he found their proximity disconcerting. However, he forgot all that as he started to read the story. Instead of stopping at one chapter as he had originally intended, he ended up reading the whole story about three brothers. The older two were evil and selfish while the younger one was kind. The three have a chance to find untold riches. Of course, the elder two make the wrong choices and were punished for it while the youngest gained the treasure at the end. Sometime during the reading of the story, both children managed to crawl onto his lap. He had allowed it as he found it not altogether unpleasant to have their small bodies against his. Once the story was done, he was uncomfortable again, restraining the instinct to throw them off of him. He hustled them into bed after they had both given him a hug that he withstood, body stiff. He followed her into the living room and sat in the chair as she curled up on the couch.

"The story is similar to _The Tale of the Three Brothers_. Was the author a wizard familiar with _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_?"

"No, both stories are allegorical. You will find stories of three siblings common in children's literature with the third being rewarded for their behaviour. Look at the story of the three pigs. The first two pigs are careless about the building materials of their houses so they are eaten by the wolf. The third little pig builds his house from brick and ends up cooking the wolf."

He looked at her, perplexed. Stories of pigs? Was this like the book about the fish? A thought sneaked into his mind. Maybe she was smarter than he was. Instantly, he banished that thought. She wasn't smarter. Her head was filled with muggle nonsense, which wasn't worth knowing anyway.

Petting Lizzie who was lying beside her on the lounger, she looked up and caught him staring at her. At her smile, he looked away, seeming embarrassed to be caught watching at her. 'I wonder what he was thinking about.' She felt depressed. His first week here had not been the most successful. He was very different from the man she fell in love with and that made her nervous which made her tend to babble. She thought back to their conversation about _The King of the Golden River_. Comparing it to the Three Pigs. He must think she is an idiot. She was trying to give him time to adjust. It must be difficult for him to go from bachelor to instant family. She had memories of their time before, whereas this was all brand new to him. She really wasn't sure how to proceed. An extended wooing was what was needed, something she was having difficulty with. Having his body so close to hers at night made sleep difficult. She just wanted to reach over and start kissing him but she restrained herself, keeping to her side of the bed. She felt so tired.

He looked tired too. Maybe he wasn't sleeping well. Maybe the curtains were too thin in the bedroom. "Do you think we should get heavier curtains for the bedroom? You look so tired all the time."

"It matters not to me. It's your house," he replied, indifferent. "I'm not tired because of the light. I'm tired because I am not sleeping alone."

"It's not my house. It's my relatives' house. At the moment, I don't own a house. If you have trouble sleeping, why don't you use a mild sleeping potion? That's what you did when we were first married. After you were used to sleeping with me, you discontinued taking the potion." Some advice I should take for myself, she thought.

He felt a little foolish that he had not thought of it before but he was used to insomnia, having been cursed with it his whole life.

"I've never thought about it but everything in this house belongs to someone else. Why don't we go to your childhood home and we can gather the things that you would like to keep. If you want, we can sell the house and the rest of its contents. That's what we did when we got married," she offered.

"Go to Spinner's End? What if someone sees me? I could be arrested, like the other Death Eaters."

"No one from the Ministry is looking for you. In the eyes of the magical world, you are dead. And if your neighbours see you, so what. They don't know about your activities outside of their neighbourhood. Or do you think someone has already sold the house?"

"No. I do not think anyone has bothered to think about my possessions outside of Hogwarts. There really isn't much there. Most everything that has any value to me is at Hogwarts."

"Well, I'm not going there to pick them up."

"It doesn't matter. All of my things have probably been discarded, like trash, since that matches my reputation. Maybe they held a bonfire and burned the lot, roasting marshmallows over the remains. Maybe it will be declared a holiday, a time for celebration that Severus Snape is no more."

She chuckled. "Yes, I can see it now, witches and wizards cavorting around the flames. Seriously though, maybe we should go to Hogwarts. We could set the record straight and you would be celebrated as the hero that you are. You could probably have your old job back if you wanted. Is that what you want," she frowned.

"I never want to return there. My time there is done. Do you seriously think that we could convince them that I was 'the hero' as you so naively put it. People do not want to hear the truth. I am a person that others despise. No one wants to think the best of me. I shall always be the outcast."

"I think the best of you, Severus," she said softly. He ignored her pleading eyes and looked back at the children, who had stopped their playing at his raised voice. The boy looked curious while the girl looked frightened. They came over to the chairs.

"Is there something wrong, Poppa," Nicholas asked.

He stayed silent so Sylvie answered. "Poppa has nothing here that is his own. I think we should go to the house where he grew up and bring back anything he would like to keep."

The children responded with much more enthusiasm than he felt. Return to the house on Spinner's End? It was not something that he wanted to do but he was carried away in the tide of their eagerness to see his childhood home. Reluctantly he agreed.

…

They ended up taking her car in order to hold any items he wanted to keep. Flying through the air at dizzying speeds, they arrived long before he was ready to face the house. It must be a mode of transportation they had used often in the past as it did not seem to bother the children or the house elf at all whereas he felt ill to his stomach. The streets they passed showed neglect with broken windows and graffiti until they turned onto Spinner's End. The street had the look of a place where the residents had long ago gave up giving a shit. As they pulled up beside his house, he berated himself again for agreeing to this unnecessary journey. The house, the final one on the street, looked even more derelict than the last time he had visited. A visitor is what he felt like, never truly feeling at ease here. The heaviness of unhappy memories dragged his feet behind everyone else. The garbage filled street was deserted, like many of the houses, but he could feel curious eyes behind curtains, hoping to witness someone more misfortunate than themselves. The twins were first to the door in their eagerness to see their Poppa's house.

He opened the door to the mustiness of disuse. At least there was nothing rotting in here. The house was small with a tiny sitting room, kitchen, utility room and den on the main floor and bedrooms upstairs. Dust covered everything, gray being the dominant colour in the rooms. Everything was shabby, old and of second hand quality. Creatures scuttled into their hiding places at the unexpectedness of light.

The twins held each other's hands, quiet for the first time since this journey started, absorbing the bleak furnishings. They asked if they could explore and he waved them off. Instead of thundering like elephants as they usually did, they quietly left the room. He stood still, unsure of how he felt. She slipped her hand in his.

"Teeny will clean the house while we gather your possessions. I would guess that you want to take all the books," she said questioningly. With a flick of her wand, the books began to load themselves into boxes at his assent.

"Why don't you show me around?"

"Haven't you already seen the house? I thought we came here when we were first married." If he was hoping to trip her up, he failed as she described the location and look of each room. "You have told me so little about your childhood. I thought a walk-through would encourage you to share some memories with me."

"Perhaps I do not want to share any memories."

"Then let's say goodbye to them and move on." She tightened her hand in his and moved into the kitchen. "Is there anything here that you want to keep?"

"Nothing."

"That's too bad. I have wonderful memories of the kitchen at home. My brothers and I would perch on the chairs while Mel, our house elf, would prepare the daily meals. Smelling homemade chocolate chip cookies still makes me homesick. Close your eyes. When you stand here in the kitchen where you grew up, what do you remember?"

"Fights. My father berating my mother that the food was taking too long or that it tasted like the inside of a garbage dump." His face grew hard at the memories.

"There must be something good you remember. What about when you and your mother were alone?"

His face lost some of its rigidity. "Sometimes, she would hum as she was preparing dinner, and she would tell me all about Hogwarts. I couldn't wait to go."

"Was your mother in Slytherin House too?" He nodded. "You must have been thrilled when the Sorting Hat chose Slytherin. Your mother must have been pleased."

"I suppose. We didn't really discuss it. Hogwarts was better than here but it wasn't what I had hoped."

The twins rushed into the room. "Poppa, Poppa. Someone else has been living here."

He looked around suspiciously. "Why do you think so?"

"We were in one of the bedrooms. There were clothes in there."

"And how do you know they weren't your Poppa's clothing," queried Sylvie.

"Because they weren't black. They were brown and besides, they were too small to be Poppa's clothes. Whose clothes are they?"

"They belong to a rat that was living here."

"But rats don't wear clothes, Poppa. Only in stories."

Sylvie understood what he was referring to. "Do you mean that Peter Pettigrew lived here?" She looked horrified when he nodded. "Oh Severus, how awful. Why did you let him stay here?"

"Do you think I really had a choice in the matter? That was another injustice I had to suffer. Every time I had to look at his face…"

The children were looking alarmed, not sure of how to react to their father's tirade. Sylvie rushed over and folded her body around his in a hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Sophia followed suit and wrapped herself around his leg. Nicholas dealt with the confusion he felt by looking out the window.

"Poppa, where is your backyard? There is nowhere to play."

Severus recovered himself. Sophia joined her brother looking out the window and Sylvie took his hand again. "I spent a lot of time at the playground. Things weren't so bad when I was growing up. The factories were still running so the houses were better maintained. It wasn't such a wasteland."

Teeny interrupted carrying a large cardboard box labeled 'Severus' in spidery writing. "I found this in the attic. Since it has your name on it, I thought it might be important."

She placed the box on the floor. Everyone crowded around it. "What's inside, Sev?" He didn't even notice the use of Lily's pet name, he was so intrigued.

"I have no idea." He slowly opened the box. Inside were various objects from his childhood. The first he pulled out was a well-worn teddy bear. He turned in over in his hands, his eyes glazed, lost in memories of holding the bear tight late at night when he imagined the noises outside were trolls waiting to grab him or when the noises inside might mean that his father had finally killed his mother. His introspection was broken when Nicholas asked if he could have the bear.

Upset that he had allowed himself to dwell on the past, he thrust the bear towards the boy. "Take it," he said roughly. Nicholas held onto the bear as if it would break apart if held too tightly and lightly stroked the worn fur. Snape looked at his daughter, expecting her to demand the bear. Although they sometimes fought over toys, Sylvie knew that Sophia would not mind that her brother had the bear. All other toys were put away at bedtime and the stuffed cat her grandmother had given her was the only thing she slept with. Their attention was pulled toward the other things coming out of the box, a pair of baby shoes, a small cauldron, a tiny nightshirt, a pair of booties. They were all things from his childhood.

"Your mother must have saved these things," Sylvie observed. At the bottom of the box was another wooden box. Opening it revealed a letter and a well worn Slytherin scarf. Looking over his shoulder, Sylvie said, "It's your letter of acceptance from Hogwarts. Is this your scarf?"

"No, it's my mother's. She used to put it on me. I would pretend that she was the Headmaster welcoming me into Slytherin House."

"I knew she was proud of you." She noticed that Sophia was looking at the scarf intently. "I think that Sophia would like you to put it on her."

"She would just wreak it," he muttered, placing the items back into the box. Sophia's face fell, devastated. Her thumb, her comfort mechanism, made its way into her mouth.

Sylvie knelt down beside her. "The scarf is very old and fragile. Maybe when you are older, Poppa will let you wear it." She gave her a small smile, trying to hide her tears. Snape inwardly groaned. What did he know about young children. Sylvie always knew the right thing to say. He had no idea how to comfort a child. What business did he have staying here, pretending that he was any kind of father.

"I want you to help Teeny take the rest of the boxes out to the car. Poppa and I will be along in a minute." Alone together, she took both hands in hers. "I know this was difficult for you, that we've stirred up some unpleasant memories. I would like you to leave with a happy memory. Will you let me kiss you?"

He looked into the deep blue of her eyes. He didn't know what to say. Would kissing her give him a happy memory? The very thought caused conflicting emotions, desire, fear, even revulsion. Without waiting for his permission, she stood on tiptoe and lightly brushed her lips with his. He had been expecting a kiss like their previous encounters, one that set his lower regions on fire. Instead, it was the merest whisper of a touch as her lips continued to gently meander across his, applying a light pressure that made his own lips tingle. Tentatively, his lips applied a soft pressure against her own, gradually increasing but not to the point of the desperation of her past kisses. Her hands pulled his head down to give her easier access. His hands rested on her back but did not pull her closer. Just as he was considering doing just that, she broke from the embrace and smiled up at him. "We should kiss like that more often. I hope that will leave you with a happy memory."

Allowing her to lead him from the house, they paused on the threshold. He took one look back at the place that he had once called home but the realization that he would never see it again left him feeling nothing. He closed the door and stepped towards the uncertain future.


	12. Chapter 12

**Severus Snape Brushes His Teeth**

_Loving you isn't the right thing to do  
How can I ever change things that I feel?  
If I could maybe I'd give you my world  
How can I when you won't take it from me? _

Alecto Carrow could hardly believe what she was reading. Snape was a traitor, not in the sense that everyone else had thought him a traitor, but a traitor to Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter had shared Snape's memories. Those memories told the story that everything Snape had done had been done at Dumbledore's command, even the timing of his death. So many times Snape could have delivered the boy to the Dark Lord, could have passed on information that would have assured the success of their forces. If Snape had done what he was supposed to do, she would be a favourite of the Dark Lord, ready to take her place in the new order. She should be torturing muggles, weeding out all abominations to magic. Instead, she was hiding out deep in the Forbidden Forest, sneaking into the homes of others to steal this newspaper to find out what was happening with the magical world, to determine where it was safe to go.

He should be dead, dead like her Lord or in prison like the other Death Eaters. The traitor should be punished for his betrayal. Everyone believed Snape to be dead. The missing body was explained as being eaten by Nagini or taken and disposed of by one of the other Death Eaters. No one was looking for Severus Snape. Until now. Maybe Snape was dead. But she would make sure. She would follow the trail left by the curly haired witch. If she needed to torture her to get the information she wanted, then all the better.

…

He lay in bed, awake but unable to find the energy to actually get out of bed. Before, he had felt nothing. Now, feelings bubbled just below the surface, unpredictable as to when they would explode. He felt so many things, sadness, desire, and anger. The anger was constant, as was the deep feeling of depression that was chaining him to the bed now. He had to get up. Otherwise, she would come in. Yesterday she had dragged him out of bed, almost raising his nightshirt high enough to expose everything.

He stumbled into the kitchen to find it empty. Voices were raised in the adjacent washroom.

"I don't want to brush my teeth. Poppa doesn't brush his teeth. Why should I? Brushing teeth is stupid. I have better things to do." The defiance came from the boy, Nicholas.

He jerked the door open. Sylvie and the boy stared at him in surprise. In a very soft but deadly voice, he said, "Did your mother tell you to brush your teeth?"

A very small voice replied, "Yes, sir."

"Then I suggest that you do so immediately. If your mother tells you to do something, you do it, no questions asked." His voice was stern, the voice he used when he caught students doing something they should not be doing.

"Yes, sir." The voice was just a tiny squeak. The boy's eyes were tellingly bright with unshed tears.

"Actually, Nicholas, you are right. Poppa should brush his teeth." Sylvie stood there with her arms crossed, tapping her foot, as if she was dealing with another recalcitrant child.

"Excuse me," he said in a voice that had always made the students tremble. It had the opposite effect on her, not terrifying her into submission but making her even more determined.

"We will continue this discussion in our bathroom." She took his arm and dragged him out of the room. He was so shocked that she would dare physically move him that he allowed it.

When they reached the destination, he whirled on her. "You have no right to decide whether or not I should brush my teeth. I am not a four year old to blindly obey you. I am a grown man who makes my own decisions."

"Well you're making very poor ones. You have to remember that Nicholas looks up to you. You have to set an example for him to follow. If you don't brush your teeth, why should he?"

"Because you told him to," he countered.

"And do you do things just because someone told you to? I don't think so. If a child knows the why, they are more likely to follow through with the action."

"And what is the reason why he must brush his teeth."

She threw her hands up in the air. "Did you never go to the dentist?"

"No, dentists are for muggles."

"Magic is not going to stop gingivitis." He looked at her, uncomprehending. "Brushing your teeth will stop your teeth from rotting. You won't have toothaches. You won't have to have your teeth pulled out. And your breath will smell better, so maybe your wife will want to kiss you. And another thing, when was the last time you had a bath, washed your hair? You stink."

"What," he choked out, not liking the direction of this conversation. It was true. He hadn't had a bath or washed his hair since they had bathed him when he was unconscious. It wasn't something he normally did very often to begin with. It simply wasn't important. Now that he had to force himself to do anything, he certainly wasn't going to waste his energy on vanity.

"You smell. You are odourous. Your aroma would fell a giant." She walked over to the tub and turned on the tap, testing the water until she found it satisfactory. "It's time for a bath."

"I am not getting in that bath. I repeat. I am not four."

She completely ignored him and barrelled on. "And you need to shave. You're starting to look as scruffy as Sirius Black." She knew that would spring him into action. She had to jot him out of this mere existence way of living. He needed to become an active participant in his life, not just someone watching from the sidelines, letting others decide the play.

"I look nothing like Black," he shouted, his fists clenched, his hand reaching for his wand.

She forestall any further action by whipping out her own wand. Instantly, his clothing vanished, leaving him in the same state as the day he entered the world. She spun around and locked the door. Sticking her wand down her bodice, she said, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can either voluntarily step in that tub or you can try to wrestle my wand away from me which I can guarantee will result in my losing my top and my heaving bosom will be thrust in your face." Her smile told him which scenario she preferred. "Of course, I could always take off my clothes and jump in the bath with you."

She was outrageous. Hands covering his privates, he bolted into the bath. "You win. I will wash. Now kindly leave so I can get this business over with."

"If I leave, how will I know if you really used soap. I'll stay and observe to make sure you do the job properly." Her voice was low and husky and sent trickles of sensation to his private area.

"I guarantee that I will use soap," he ground out. "Leave!"

She made no move toward the door. His usual methods of intimidation did not work at all with her. "I'll compromise. I'll wash your hair and I'll leave the rest to you. Here." She tossed him a small towel. "You may preserve your modesty, although, maybe I should give you a beach towel."

"A beach towel?"

"Because you have such a large," she paused, "package." Her throaty voice beside his ear made his 'package' grow. "Now duck your head to wet your hair and I'll wash it."

As she lathered his head, an experience he found surprisingly pleasant, he asked, "When did you see Sirius Black?"

"In our other life, I first saw him when he was unconscious by the lake at Hogwarts. That was the night you captured him."

"And he escaped somehow with the help of Potter I am sure."

She ignored that. "The only other time I saw him was at an Order of the Phoenix meeting." She chuckled. "You will appreciate this. He had lured me into a room so we were alone. He was being an asshole so I used a spell that you are familiar with, the one that hangs the victim upside down. I added to the spell by stripping him of his clothes and spinning him like a top while mocking his lack of package. You came in and punched him in the face. Broke his nose. I was so proud of you."

She was finished with his hair, had him rinse and was now washing his back. "I didn't use magic on him? That doesn't sound like me."

"You found it very satisfying to physically assault him. The punch in the nose has another story behind it but I'll save it for another time. I'm done." He found himself disappointed, having enjoyed the conversation and the feeling of her hands washing him. "And don't forget to brush your teeth! I'll be checking."

As he washed, he gave a snort of laughter as the image of Black getting his comeuppance presented itself. As instructed, he brushed his teeth. She ambushed him when he exited the room in a bathrobe she had left him and checked his teeth by kissing him.

"Very satisfactory," she said with a smile and left him to get dressed, hiding his growing 'package'.

…

When he had finished dressing, he found everyone waiting for him in the living room. The children were holding lunch boxes. Sophia had her hair in braids today and was wearing a dress instead of her usual shorts and top.

"The twins have play group today. We were waiting for you so we could all walk together to the village."

"Play group? What is that?"

"Twice a week, they meet with other children for the morning and play games, have some learning time, have a snack, and just interact socially."

"I'm in no condition to walk to the village. My hair is wet." Even the twins looked sceptical at this lame excuse.

"Your hair will dry in the sun by the time you get to the village," she said mildly but she had a look in her eye that said she would abolish any excuse he came up with.

Sylvie's great grandmother poked her head in from the kitchen. "I've a better idea. Why doesn't Severus take the children to their play group while you and I have a cosy chat with a cup of tea? It has been awhile since we saw each other. It will give us a chance to catch up."

Sylvie narrowed her eyes at her great-grandmother. Never was there a time when Nona had visited just to 'chat'. She obviously wanted to talk to Sylvie about something or someone. She looked at her husband who was being pulled out of the door by the twins. He tried one last time to change this fate.

"I don't know the way."

"Don't worry. It's just one road in; one road out." She yelled out one last instruction. "Remember, no magic."

Once they had left, she turned to Nona and said, "Now what is this all about."

Nona was not to be deterred. "Let's go to the kitchen and have that cup of tea." Once they were settled with their cups, she said, "Tell me the truth, Sylvie. How are things between you and Severus?"

She sagged with melancholy. "Not that great. He's not the same man he was when I fell in love with him in that other life. I think the years of deception have made him even more bitter than he was before. I miss the old Severus."

"Of course he's not the same. You had time to get to know each other, to fall in love. He was in a familiar environment. Now he has been thrust into an instant family in a totally unfamiliar environment. Everything he has known to be true has been turned upside down. You can't expect everything to be the same. You are both different people now." At Sylvie's look, she explained. "When you first met, you were single with your own self being the only person you were responsible for. Now you are a mother with two young children as your responsibility. You have matured."

She nodded. "But what if he never falls in love with me. One of the problems we had before was his inability to let go of the past, specifically, his idealization of Lily Evans. What if things are so different now that I can't reclaim my husband."

"Death tends to put things in perspective. From what I have observed, he doesn't seem overly concerned with the past."

"And how does he seem to you?"

Nona drained her tea. "He seems to be stumbling through life half asleep. He seems to have no purpose, no reason for living."

"He seems that way to me too. Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe he was supposed to die. Maybe Lily Evans was waiting for him on the other side."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore."

…

Severus Snape walked toward the village with a child holding onto each hand. They, of course, had initiated the hand holding. He allowed it. It might be something that Sylvie would ask him about when he returned. Maybe he was supposed to hold their hands to keep them safe. Safe from what, he had no idea.

They passed a house with an older woman working on her garden in the front yard. Her sour face stared at them until they had passed. The twins resolutely did not look at her, Sophia going so far as to hide her face in his cloak.

Once they had passed, Nicholas whispered, "That's old Mrs. Moore. She doesn't like children. Momma tells us to stay away from her. She's a little scary. Once we were riding our bikes and we accidentally fell on her lawn. She flew out of her house, screaming at us. We grabbed our bikes and ran all the way home."

Sophia tugged his hand. "Molly says that she's a witch but I told her that Mrs. Moore is not witch because she can't do magic. She's just mean. And then Molly said she is a witch because she steals little children and cooks them. But that doesn't make her a witch, does it Poppa? None of the witches I know would do that."

He deflected the question by asking one of his own. "Who is Molly?"

"She is my bestest friend in the whole wide world."

"Is she a muggle?"

They both looked at him uncomprehending for a moment. "Oh, you mean she is non-magic," said Nicholas. "Yes, she is."

"Don't you have any friends who are witches," he asked Sophia in a grumpy voice.

"I know Ciara but she is my cousin. Should you count relatives with your friends?"

He had no idea how to answer that question. He was saved from having to come up with a reasonable response as they neared the building that housed the play group. A small boy ran up, followed his mother.

"Hello," she said, looking at him curiously.

Snape did not respond. No one noticed as Nicholas immediately piped up. "Guess who this is?" Before anyone had time to give an answer, he crowed, "This is our Poppa!"

This pronouncement attracted the attention of everyone. All conversations stopped and everyone turned to look at him. He felt like an imposter standing with the other parents.

The woman who had initially said hello spoke again. "It's certainly nice to finally meet you. Some of us doubted your existence."

"Why would you doubt my existence."

"Well, you know. Sylvie's lived here a couple of years and no one has ever seen you. Even with your job, we thought you would have some leave time."

With his job? Leave time? What exactly had Sylvie said about him to these people.

He heard someone whisper, "Why is his hair so long."

"Maybe he was a spy," someone whispered back. He whipped his head around, trying to locate the initiators of the conversation. Who knew he was a spy?

Another woman came up. She had a little girl who immediately grabbed Sophia's hand. The two ran off toward the playground. "My goodness, the children certainly look like you. I always thought they looked somewhat like Sylvie but seeing you, it's obvious they take after their father. Have you finished your commission?" At his blank look, she said, "You know, your job in the military that she's not allowed to talk about?"

Ah, so this was how she explained his absence. He did not need to think of an answer as again, Nicholas interrupted, "Poppa is all done fighting. He's going to stay home with us now."

He felt a peculiar lump in his throat. Nicholas considered him to be home. He had never felt so much like a stranger. Ignoring the stares of everyone, he said gruffly, "What time am I supposed to pick you up from play group?"

"Oh, you don't have to pick us up," Nicholas said carelessly. "We can walk home by ourselves. Momma just wanted to show you off this morning."

He stomped angrily back to the cottage. Once again, she had tricked him. He didn't need to take them to play group at all. They were capable of walking there themselves.

Still fuming, he encountered her sitting in the living room with a book. "You tricked me," he roared.

She looked up at him, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"The children informed me that they didn't need anyone to walk them to their group, that they could walk home by themselves." He scowled at her.

"I fail to see how I tricked you," she said mildly.

"They didn't require me to walk them. You made me think someone had to walk them."

"I said no such thing. I said that we would all walk together. I often do walk with them to their play group but I do not have to. I never said it was absolutely necessary. I just thought it would be nice if we all went together. Plus, I wanted to get you out of the house, to get you interacting with the rest of the world again. You've become a hermit." She looked very smug.

He frowned. She didn't specifically say they couldn't go on their own. It had been implied, hadn't it? Very few people had ever tested his self control as much as she. He wanted to yell, throw things, stamp his feet. In other words, he felt like throwing a temper tantrum. Why did she reduce him to the actions of a child? There was the disagreement about the bath and now this. He was ready to tear out his hair.

"But we didn't walk together, did we," he seethed. "I ended up going with them by myself. I had to withstand the stares and comments of all those women. I had no idea what they were talking about, my commission, my being a spy because my hair was too long. Not that I had to think of answers since Nicholas did all the talking."

"The horrors. I told everyone you were away on a mission with the military. Most of those in the military must keep their hair short. That's why the women thought you were a spy because your hair was long. Besides, taking them yourself wasn't my idea. It was Nona's."

"Nicholas said something about you wanting to show me off."

She grinned. "That's true. I did want to show you off. It would have been our first public outing. Of course I would want to parade such a fine husband around."

"But we are not married, are we. We had no wedding that I can recall."

Her voice hardened. "I remember it and I have the picture as proof." She stopped and said in a softer tone, "I know we have not married in this life but I consider you my husband. We are married in here." She put her hand over her heart.

"But we are not married in here." He put his hand over his own heart.

"I know, Severus. Do you think that someday we will be married here?" She placed her hand on his heart. Looking into her large blue eyes, he wasn't able to say no so he remained silent. She drew him gently to sit beside her on the couch. "Why don't we take advantage of their absence?"

Immediately carnal images came to mind but he had jumped to conclusions as the next thing she said was, "I can start to tell you about our other life, how we met at Hogwarts, our first kiss, our first date, the first time we made love." The carnal images were back.

She talked for the rest of the morning. He was starting to believe that what she said was true for her detail and knowledge of events at Hogwarts were inexplicable otherwise. He actually chuckled a couple of times over her stories. Before he knew it, the twins were back.

Nicholas launched himself into Sylvie's lap. She started tickling him. "How is my cuddle monster today?"

He looked at her with disbelief. "Cuddle monster? You're going to turn him into a…" He stopped what he was saying as she shot death rays at him from her eyes.

"A what," she demanded. "What were you going to say?"

"A..a..a girl," he finally came out with. It was the gist of what he was thinking but not as insulting as some of the words that came to mind.

"But Poppa," said Nicholas, missing the point altogether. "I'm not a girl. I have a penis. Sophia's a girl because she doesn't have a penis."

Sylvie collapsed into giggles, not so much at what Nicholas said, but more from the expression of horror on Severus' face. He had probably never said such a word in his life. "You have to remember that children this age are very literal. Never mind, Poppa. Did you have fun at play group?"

"Yes," he said with an enthusiasm that Severus had never felt in his childhood. He began to list all the things he had done that morning. Sophia, meanwhile, had dragged herself into the room, head down, looking dejected.

Sylvie interrupted his litany. "Sophia, what's wrong?" The girl threw herself on her mother's lap and broke into sobs. "Molly didn't want to play with me today. She would only play with Jess. She said I was boring. I hate Jess."

At this point, Nicholas cleared his throat and gave a significant look to his mother. She nodded back at him. Sophia looked up and caught the end of the exchange.

"So, what did you do about it," Sylvie asked casually. Severus thought it an odd question to ask as it was quite clear that what she was doing about it was to run to her mother.

Sophia suddenly looked very guilty. "Nothing." Nicholas gave a snort.

"Sophia Siobhan Snape. Did you perform magic on Jess?"

The girl was definitely guilty. She shrank from everyone's scrutiny. "Just a little," she mumbled. He perked up with interest. Nicholas looked bursting to tell what his sister had done but was quelled by a glance from his mother. Sylvie stayed silent, looking intently at her daughter until she cracked.

"I made the bird's nest fall out of the tree and onto her head. It could have happened without magic. I didn't really mean to do it. I didn't concentrate on it very hard. And then Jess called me a witch." Snape smiled. He was remembering when he had caused a branch to fall on Petunia Evans.

Nicholas howled. "It was so funny, Poppa. She had dirt and twigs sticking out of her hair."

"Shut up Nicholas. You're just a suck-up." Her face was red, angry.

"Good job, Sophia," Severus said softly. "You made it seem like an accident." Sophia preened, a huge smile on her face for gaining the praise of her Poppa.

"Nicholas, you need to tend to your horse. Sophia is going to have a little chat with us." The boy obediently left the room. Sylvie threw Snape a glance that told him he was in trouble as well.

"Sophia, why do we not use magic in front of other people?"

"Because it's not fair."

"That's right. It's not fair. You should never use magic to harm someone. They have no magic to protect themselves." And no magic to strike back, he thought. "Having magic is a wonderful thing. It is a gift, a gift that most people do not have. When they find out that you have magic, other people might get jealous and treat you differently. Today, you let your temper control your actions. A big girl doesn't do that. Next time, you will tell yourself that it does not matter if Molly does not play with you today. You will ask someone else to play with you. You are a good friend, Sophia. You need to let other people find that out."

"Yes, Momma," she said quietly.

"Did a lot of people ask you about your Poppa?"

"Yes, everyone was asking me questions about him."

"You know that Molly likes to be the center of attention. Maybe she didn't want to play with you today because you were getting all of the attention. This has happened before. You know that tomorrow you two will be best friends again. Now, as punishment for using magic when you were not supposed to, you will not have dessert for the rest of the week. Run off and play in your room."

"OK, Momma." The little girl hurried to her room.

"No dessert?" He gave her a quizzical expression.

"Sophia loves desert so going without it for a week is a big deal for her. Severus, how could you praise her for using magic on a muggle. You know that it is strictly forbidden. We are trying to keep a low profile here. Not alert the magical community that there are children living here who look just like you."

"As you say yourself so many times, they are just children. It was an accident."

"An accident my foot. She did it deliberately. Sophia needs a firm hand. She can be extremely wilful and that can be dangerous. As you have no doubt observed, the twins are very advanced in magic. Their cousins who are at least twice their age can't do half the things they can. They take after you not just in looks."

He swelled with pride at the compliment. His children. He had now accepted the fact that they were indeed his progeny. As to what exactly he was going to do about it, he wasn't sure.

"I need your help with them. They are both a handful. Nicholas has so much energy. He needs to be kept busy to keep him out of trouble. Speaking of which, by giving your approval to Sophia for doing something she was not allowed to, he will no doubt try the same. He wants your approval so much. Go speak to him about it."

"And what will I say? I know nothing of children."

"Know nothing of children! Severus, you have taught children for years."

"That's different. The children were older and they were not mine."

There was a glint in her eye, a glint of hope. "And why does it make a difference whether they are yours or not?"

"Because…" He didn't know what to say. Because he wanted to say the right words. Because he didn't want to harm them with his clumsy attempts at fatherhood. Because he wanted them to have a better childhood than he had.

"Sev, I knew nothing of children when I became a mother. I made a lot of mistakes. I learned as I went and I read many books on the subject of parenting. You just have to dive in and give it your best shot. Nicholas will be in the stable with his horse, Sadie."

"Why does he have a horse? Isn't he a little young for that?"

"As I said, Nicholas has a lot of energy. Looking after a horse takes care of a lot of that energy."

…

He approached the stables with trepidation, rehearsing what he had to say. Nicholas was standing on a stool, vigorously brushing his horse, turned in surprise to see him. He was glad to note that the animal was more of a pony than a horse.

"Poppa, why are you here?"

"I need to talk to you about what happened with Sophia today. I am impressed by the level of magic that both you and your sister are able to perform. But your Momma is right. You should never use magic against muggles." He found himself parroting Sylvie, that it wasn't fair to use magic when they could not. He couldn't think of anything original to say.

"Did Momma make you come and say that?"

The child was perceptive. Instead, he said in an imperious tone, "Do you honestly think anyone could make me do something I did not want to."

"Momma made you brush your teeth this morning."

The child was as smart as a whippet too. He ground those clean teeth. "Your mother did not make me brush my teeth. We had a discussion about it and I agreed with her reasons."

"Yes, sir." His tone was one of agreement but the look he gave his father said he didn't believe him for a minute.

…

He was lying on his back. She was sitting on top of him, cradling his penis in her hands. Slowly, she began to stroke, circling her fingers around the tip and then pushing down to the root with her whole hand. He could feel her private area resting on his scrotum, something he found tremendously erotic. She was wearing her sheer nightgown, her nipples were evident through the fabric. His breath came faster as she pumped faster, moaning low in her throat. Just as he was about to climax, he woke up.

It had been a dream. She was not on top of him but fast asleep beside him. He had rolled onto her side of the bed, was lying flush against her, his night shirt pushed up to his waist, his erect penis throbbing between her legs. His arm was wrapped around her, his hand resting just below her breast. She was wearing a black lacy confection that just barely covered her rear. The pattern played peek-a-boo with her nipples, making him think he could see them through the fabric and then doubting his perception.

Her breathing was even. She was asleep. Her breast cried out to him, 'touch me, touch me, Severus'. All he had to do was move his fingers a few inches, pull the fabric down and gather the flesh in his hand. No, he would not. She was asleep. It was not fair. 'But it would be what she wants,' whispered Traitorous Snape. 'She wants you to pull off that ridiculous strip she calls a nightgown and bury yourself deep inside her. Why do you think she wore it in the first place? It was to tempt you to do that very thing.'

Loyal Snape countered, 'She wore it because the weather is hot. Anything longer or thicker would be uncomfortable to sleep in. Do not take advantage of her when she is sleeping.' While Loyal Snape was pleading his case, Sylvie had shifted slightly so that his hand was now completely covering her breast. Traitorous Snape took advantage of this shift in position to slip his fingers beneath the bodice and caress. His hand froze as she groaned and ground her behind into him.

"Please, Severus, it has been so long." She reached between their legs and grasped the head of his penis and positioned it at her wet, hot opening. With another slight shift in position, he was inside. She slowly rocked back and forth, causing that sweet friction that made him moan in return. Unable to control himself anymore, he pumped into her furiously, bringing the climax that had eluded him in the dream to a thundering conclusion. He panted into her neck as the aftershocks wrung out the last vestiges of pleasure. Gradually, his breathing slowed and he rolled away from her onto his own side of the bed. She rolled with him, intending to cuddle but was stopped short by an unseen force.

"What the hell?"

"I can't sleep if you're touching me," he explained. With a flick of his fingers, the force vanished and she lay her head on top of his chest. Guilty. He was guilty of taking advantage of her. 'How is it taking advantage when it is exactly what she wanted,' he argued with himself. 'Because the reason I did it was not the same as the reason she wanted it,' he thought to himself.


	13. Chapter 13

**Decisions, Decisions**

_She's all alone again  
Wiping the tears from her eyes  
Some days he feels like dying  
Some days it's not worth trying  
Now that they both are finding  
She gets so sick of crying_

Alecto Carrow looked across the water in dismay. The trail left by the witch had led here, to the North Sea and continued across the water. She fervently hoped that the witch had gone to Ireland and not across the Atlantic. To follow the trail across the ocean would tax all her reserves. Plus there was the sorry bunch she had with her.

Amycus stood beside her. "Now what are we going to do. I say we give up this hunt and find us a safe place to hunker down. If Snape's alive, so what. Is it worth capture to find his sorry hide?"

His sister whirled on him, her face full of fury. "I'm going to get Snape even if it's the last thing I do. He is going to pay for his treachery and it's going to be very slow and painful. If it weren't for him, I'd be ruling Hogwarts, the Dark Lord's favourite. With a few years of service, I might have been running the Ministry. Instead, I'm here with you bunch of idiots. This is all because of Snape."

"Don't you think Harry Potter might have something to do with it?"

"Harry Potter would not be alive today if Snape had done his job properly." Her voice took on less of a screeching quality. "If we find Snape, I'll give you the witch to do whatever you want with."

"You swear she was pretty?"

"Very pretty. She has long dark, curly hair, big blue eyes. Sort of like Bellatrix except she's shorter, much curvier and doesn't have that insane look about her. You will be very pleased."

They were joined at the shore by Badon, a young werewolf, Dax, an old (and useless, she thought,) wizard and Jade, a middle aged witch with some skill. These were the last of the loyal and free Death Eaters. All others were dead, in Azkaban or using the Imperius Curse excuse, like that other traitor, Malfoy. They had gone to the Malfoy estate, hoping for information and to enlist the aid of the Malfoys. Lucius had been shocked to see them on his doorstep but had let them in and pretended friendliness. When he had stepped out for a moment, it had not been to bring more sweets but to alert the Ministry to come make their arrest. Luckily, she had suspected his treachery and managed to get away before the officials arrived. She should have known better than to approach a two headed snake like Malfoy.

"What now, Alecto," questioned Dax.

"The trail continues over the water. We will follow." When no one said anything, she snapped. "If anyone doubts my ability and thinks this is a wild goosechase," she glared at her brother, "leave now." The others looked at each other, shrugged, and mounted their broomsticks to cross the sea. After all, they had nowhere else to go, no better options.

…

Minerva McGonagall stood in front of the portrait of Severus Snape. He looked back at her, his usual superior expression on his face. No matter what she said, or how long she spent trying to speak to it, he never answered back. He reminded her of the muggle portraits that captured its subject in suspended animation. Not only did he not speak to her, he also did not move.

She gave up and approached Dumbledore's portrait. As usual, he was asleep. "Albus, Albus, wake up."

The portrait opened one eye, then came fully awake. "What is it, Minerva?"

"Well, Albus. I have a mystery. As you know, when a Headmaster dies, their portrait appears. While the Battle of Hogwarts was raging, Snape's portrait appeared, supporting Harry Potter's witness of his death at the fangs of Nagini. But this is a portrait not like any other. It does not move or speak. It does not show any signs of sentience whatsoever."

"Second, I was recently at the Ministry and heard a very strange story. Alecto Carrow paid a surprise visit to Malfoy Manor. According to her, Snape wasn't dead at all but had been taken by a curly haired witch. She had cast a tracing spell on the witch and wanted his aid in bringing Snape to justice. Malfoy called the Ministry to come and arrest her but she slipped away before they arrived."

"Third, we never did discover Snape's body. When we arrived at the Shrieking Shack where he met his demise, we found a great deal of blood but no body. We surmised that the snake had either eaten him or his fellow Death Eaters buried him."

"Finally, I found all of these circumstances curious. I paid a visit to Cokeworth, the birthplace of Snape and where his family home still stands. And do you know what I found, Albus."

Dumbledore was smiling. "No, Minerva. What did you find."

"Someone else was living in his house. They had recently bought the house from a realtor. When I questioned the realtor, he stated that the owner, Severus Snape, accompanied by his wife and two young children had hired him to sell the house and its contents." Dumbledore had a huge grin on his face now.

"He had been hesitant about taking the sale as it is a very poor neighbourhood where most of the real estate had been for sale, some for many years but they named a low price and assured him that the inside had been modernized. Indeed, when he went inside the house, it had been freshly painted, new floors and appliances. In another neighbourhood, it could have fetched a much higher price."

"When I asked him where to money of the sale had gone, he was reluctant to tell me, something about client confidentiality."

Dumbledore was laughing now. "But we both know that no muggle has a chance at keeping anything from you."

"The money had been deposited into the bank account of a Sylvie Turner. I see from your smug expression that you already knew this."

"No, I did not know, but I had hoped."

"And so I did a little investigation. I was momentarily flummoxed as the estate agent had described her as American. She is Canadian. Sylvie Turner, the daughter of a witch and muggle, the great-granddaughter of Mary Kilpatrick, is nothing special as far as I can see."

Dumbledore snorted. "She'd be very offended to hear that she is nothing special. She is a very special witch, indeed."

McGonagall continued on. "Her whereabouts are currently unknown. According to her family and friends, she is not in Canada but is living overseas. The name did stick out in my mind but I could not place it until I remembered correspondence from her mother a few years ago, asking for a position for her daughter which was among your papers."

"That is true," he nodded.

"And so you see the mystery. If Snape is alive, how can he be married and have two young children when I have never heard of his wife before now. I believe that you have the answer to that."

Minerva McGonagall then heard an incredible tale. When Dumbledore was done talking, all she could say was, "How could you, Albus. If they were as happy as you said they were, how could you take that all away."

"I did what was necessary. If Alecto Carrow finds Snape, she will do everything she can to kill him and his family. You need to warn Snape. Where was the bank account held?"

"I believe it was in Ireland."

"In that case, I would start with Mary Kilpatrick's family home in Ireland."

…

The early morning light made the bedroom curtains glow, promising another beautiful day. A breeze moved the curtain slightly allowing in a ray of sunshine that rested just above Sylvie's head, making it seem as if the heavens were lighting up her face. His emotions were still at war with each other and he was no closer to making a decision about his future. To stay or to go.

He did not love her but he had to admit that he did like her. He liked her a lot and felt her a kindred spirit. She was entertaining but also at times a silent companion. She was witty and sarcastic and did not let him get away with bad behaviour. Was it enough? Would he grow to love her? Why was he thinking this way? Wasn't Lily Evans his one true love? Lately, her memory seemed to have faded to wisps of smoke.

There was no doubt that she was very much in love with him. She was trying to make his adjustment to living without Hogwarts easier and he appreciated that. Her story, which at first had seemed preposterous, was something that he was starting to accept as truth. She knew too many details to have manufactured the whole thing. His anger at her for bringing him back was gone but he did not agree that her decision was the right one.

Unable to stay in bed any longer, he padded to the kitchen and made a cup of tea. Nicholas bounded in, full of energy after a good night's sleep. He was immediately uncomfortable. He had never spent any time alone with the boy. He was so much the opposite of Snape's younger self. He felt more comfortable with the girl who was much quieter than her brother. Immediately, he began to expand on all of the dreams he had the night before. His chatter grew in speed and volume until Snape boomed, "Silence. I do not need to know every excruciating detail of your night time adventures."

The boy fell silent but he could see the bottom lip start to quiver. He always seemed to make the child cry. He had no idea of how to be a father. Sylvie came in and sent Nicholas out to pick some berries for breakfast.

"I know he's a chatterbox, Severus, but he's just nervous around you and doesn't know what to say so he says everything that pops into his head. He wants so much to please you. And Nicholas needs physical activity when he gets up. It helps to calm him down. That's why I sent him out to pick berries."

"The child certainly needs a filter."

She went back into the bedroom to get dressed and he stared out the window, wondering if he would ever know what to say and do with his children. The peace and quiet was interrupted by Nicholas tearing back into the house and hiding behind his father.

"She's going to poison me, Poppa. She's going to turn me into a blue monster."

Sophia followed on the heels of her brother and stopped short at the sight of Snape. She glared at Nicholas.

"Explanation please," he said in a sardonic tone.

Emboldened by the presence of an adult, Nicholas came from behind him and told his story. "Sophia made a potion, a potion that would turn me into a blue monster."

"I wasn't going to use it on you. I just said that to make you leave me alone," she snapped back.

In a deceptively quiet voice, he said, "And just who were you going to use this potion on?"

Sophia realized her mistake and turned very red. She looked down at her feet and scuffed her shoes against the floor.

"Sophia Snape, who were you going to use your potion on," he said in a commanding voice.

A very tiny voice replied, "Mrs. Moore. But Poppa, she said Lizzie was destroying her flowers and she was going to poison her." Tears shone in her eyes. "I couldn't let her hurt Lizzie so I thought that if I turned her blue, she wouldn't be able to come out of her house to hurt Lizzie."

In the background, he swore he heard muffled laughter. What would Sylvie say to this? "Sophia, we have had this discussion before. Why do we not use magic on muggles?"

She gave a heavy sigh and he thought for a moment that she rolled her eyes. "Because it's not fair. But Poppa, is it fair that she gets away with being so mean?"

Again behind the closed door, he thought he heard someone hide the words "Sirius Black" in a cough. He frowned. Black certainly wasn't a muggle. His use of magic on Black was totally justified. What Sylvie was trying to insinuate was not the same at all. How was he supposed to answer the child. In her shoes, he probably would have done the same thing but he knew that was the wrong answer.

He knelt down to the child's level. "Sophia, there will be many people in the world who will be mean to you. And there will be times when you should do nothing about it, especially if that person is an adult muggle. Lizzie seems to be a smart cat. I don't think she would eat any poison that Mrs. Moore left out. If you turned Mrs. Moore blue, that would cause a lot of questions to be asked, questions I do not think you would want to answer. Perhaps you could use your magic instead to fix Mrs. Moore's flowers so that she will not blame Lizzie." He, of course, would never do such a thing but it was something that Sylvie would say.

"I suppose." She did not looked convinced. He could tell that she still wanted to turn the woman blue.

Sylvie chose that moment to come to his rescue. "Poppa's right. Lizzie would never eat poison. She's no ordinary cat but a Cait Sidhe. Besides, it isn't Lizzie who is wrecking the flowers. It's the O'Connell's dog."

"So Lizzie won't be poisoned," Sophia agreed, satisfied with that.

"But we can't let her hurt Grendel," wailed Nicholas. He had spent many happy hours playing with the O'Connell's dog as their son Patrick was a friend of his.

"I'm sure that we can come up with something that will keep away all animals."

"Momma, what is a Cait Sidhe?"

Brushing aside the question, she simple said, "It's a magical cat."

Severus turned the conversation back to the original plan to deal with Mrs. Moore. "I'm curious, what sort of things go into a potion that would turn someone blue?"

Sophia then became animated as she described what she had used and how she had accidentally discovered the combination. Mrs. Moore was forgotten.

"Momma says that you used to teach potions to children. Would you teach me?"

"All right. I could show you a few things," he agreed reluctantly.

"And me too, Poppa," Nicholas chimed in, "only I don't want to learn potions. I want to learn spells."

He agreed with even more reluctance and the child could sense the annoyance in his father. Sylvie interrupted. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Go where," he asked, bewildered.

"We're going to visit our new school, Poppa, the big school in the town where we will be going in a few weeks," Nicholas informed him.

"Remember, Severus. I told you about this."

He had to confess that he sometimes didn't listen to what she was saying, especially if he didn't want to hear about it. "A muggle school," he asked with as much disdain as he could muster.

"That's right," Sylvie replied. "There is no school for witches and wizards of their age in this country and it's not like they could go to Hogwarts. If we lived in North America, they could attend a school for children with their special abilities. I don't know why they don't have them here in the British Isles."

He hadn't really thought about school for the twins. She was right. They could not go to Hogwarts. What would she do when they came of age? It was a question he asked her after they returned from the visit to the school and after the twins had gone over to a friend's house to play.

"I don't know. I guess I had hoped to be living back in Canada by that time, or the States if you prefer."

He didn't prefer either. He didn't know what he wanted and that was the problem. She seemed to have their whole future planned out, a future he wasn't sure he would be around to participate in.

"I've asked my family to keep an eye out for any positions that you might be interested in." She handed him a stack of papers, detailing some jobs available across the ocean.

His voice was cold. "And why would I be interested in these." He stared at her with coal black eyes.

"Because you have to do something with your life. You can't just sit around here, staring into space. You need a purpose and I thought one of these might give you a purpose. I know you have been depressed and maybe a start at something different would make you happy." Her expression was hard to read. He thought he saw desperation, hope and the thing he hated most, pity.

His voice had the deathly quiet quality of a snake getting ready to strike. "What makes you think I would be interested in any of these, that I can't find something myself."

Hands on her hips, she exploded. "Because you've done bloody nothing so far. You sit here, day after day without any thought of the future, at least not anything you have communicated to me. You've had a very traumatic last few years but that's all over now. It's time to move on to something else."

"Maybe my moving on doesn't include you," he snarled. She was right but he didn't want to acknowledge it. He would like to keep his head in the sand for a while longer. His annoyance at her deciding his life made him sharper with her than usual. Like always when faced with an emotionally charged moment, he blurted out whatever came into his head.

She turned white. "Is that what you want? You want to leave without us? Well then go. No one's stopping you." Her hair was standing on end as she was screaming at him.

No knowing what else to do, he stormed out of the house.

…

Nicholas Snape was contemplating an action, something that was very scary but grew more necessary in his mind. They had arrived back home from their playdate to find no one there. Sophia, who wanted to gather some plants for her first potions lesson, suggested that maybe they had gone for a walk in the woods. On their search, they had found their Momma alone. They were back at the house, discussing the situation.

"This is not good, Sophia. Momma always stops crying when she sees us. She says we are her special sunshine."

Sophia considered his words. "When she cried before, she said it was because she missed Poppa. But now Poppa's here so what is making her cry. She said it's an adult thing we can't understand, that she'll be OK in a minute but what if she's not. What if Poppa's gone again? Maybe that is why she's crying."

"Why would Poppa go? The war he was fighting in is over." He considered things for a moment. "Maybe you are right. If Poppa left, I think I know why." Nicholas looked very serious. Sophia had never seen her sunny brother looking so sombre.

He continued. "I think Poppa left because he doesn't like me. If I leave, Poppa will come back and Momma will be happy again."

"That's silly. Why do you think that?"

"It's not silly. He's always finding fault with what I do. I'm too noisy; I talk too much; I'm too rambunctious." He stumbled a little at such a long word. He didn't know what it meant but he had heard it often enough. Even Momma said it.

"Then I'm going with you," she said resolutely.

"No, you won't." At her stubborn look, he explained. "Poppa likes you. You are quiet, serious and you like potions. One of us needs to stay here to make Momma happy. It's your job."

"Where will you go?"

He smiled grimly. "I have a few ideas."

Sophia shook her head as her brother left. She didn't take him seriously. Sean at school was always talking about running away and he never did. She figured he'd go away for a few hours and then come back when he realized there was nowhere else to go. Her supposition was confirmed a few moments later when she looked out the window and saw their Poppa coming towards the house. She watched as her brother ran up to their father. Silly Nicholas. Poppa had only gone out for awhile, not forever.

…

Severus Snape had gone for a long walk. He had walked all the way to the next town and back to clear his head. She made him so angry, making all the decisions and then expecting him to follow along. "But did she really," the voice inside his head said. He couldn't tell which Snape was talking, the Loyal one or the Traitorous one. "You haven't been making any major decisions yourself but just following along with whatever she says. There has been no verbal exertion on your part. Besides, she wasn't deciding where you were going to live. She was just giving you some options. And she's right. You can't just sit there doing nothing."

A change was needed but he really didn't know what he wanted to do. They could not continue to live in this stasis. Did he want this new life to include them? He was fond of Sylvie and he had to admit that he liked the children more than he thought he would, even if he didn't know how to deal with them. Perhaps they would be better off without him. Sylvie was beautiful. She could easily find another wizard much more suited than him to be husband and father. For a moment he felt an insane rage of jealousy. Did he want someone else to have her?

His thoughts were paused as he approached the house and a small figure came hurtling towards him. Nicholas stopped in front of his father, looking upset.

"Is something wrong, Nicholas?"

"It's Momma."

Alarm made him go stiff. "What's wrong with Sylvie? Is she hurt." He looked around but could not see his wife. Maybe she was inside the house, suffering from some sort of injury.

"She's hurt inside." The boy touched his chest. Had her heart given out? Had she had some sort of seizure? "She won't stop crying and it's my fault."

Now what had the boy done. Had he performed some sort of magic that would bring the hordes with fire and pitchfork to their front door? 'Really, Severus, this isn't the middle ages,' he chided himself.

"What did you do," his voice angrier than he meant it to be for fear that something serious had happened to his wife.

Nicholas paled. "I can't help that I'm noisy, excitable and rambunctious. So I've decided to leave."

He wasn't following this conversation at all. The boy had to leave because he was noisy? What did this have to do with Sylvie crying. Something had happened that had upset the boy so he wasn't thinking or communicating clearly. What would Sylvie do? She would sit him down and talk to him quietly and calmly. Not yell at him.

He took Nicholas by the hand and sat him down on the front steps. Squeezing in beside him, they sat side by side, looking out onto the road. This seemed to calm the boy down.

"Now, tell me from the beginning what has happened?"

Out came the story. The twins had returned to find no one home and so had gone searching for their parents. They found their mother in the woods, crying. Apparently, they had found their mother crying before but what had alarmed the boy was that this time she did not stop crying at their appearance and none of their words made her happy. Apparently, her previous tears were due to his absence. Now that he was here, there must be another reason. He decided it was because Snape did not like him as evidenced by the fact that he was always yelling at him. So the boy made a decision. He would go away so that Snape would be happy which would make their mother happy. He would go live with his grandparents or with his cousins.

Snape mentally groaned. Somehow, he had become his father, finding fault with everything his son did. How could he be so blind. How had he been gifted with such a son, one that wasn't bitter with his father's treatment but one that wanted to make everything better for the one's he loved. Well, he knew the answer to that one. Sylvie. She had provided her children with their moral compass. Sitting beside him was a small boy wiping away tears, trying to be brave. He did not want to leave his family but he thought it was the right thing to do.

And so he did something that did not come naturally to him but something he knew was the right thing to do. He put his arm around his son and pulled him into a hug. Kissing the top of his head, he said, "You do not need to leave. None of this is your fault. I will go talk to your Momma and she will stop crying."

The emotional dam Nicholas had been holding back was broken. He clung to his father, weeping openly. He had been waiting so long to have a father and now the one he had did not seem to want him. Although he tried to ignore it, the whispers of the other children who had fathers stung. They said he didn't have a father that would come back, that it was just something his mother was making up so she didn't look so bad. They said his parents weren't married at all but that he was a bastard. When his father had appeared, he had felt vindicated. He did have a father and here he was, back from fighting in the war just like his Momma said. But the whispers started again. That there was something not quite right about his father, that he was strange because he always dressed in strange black clothes, that he was always frowning and he wasn't social with anyone. Nicholas couldn't say it was because he was a great wizard who had suffered during the war so of course he wasn't always smiling. That was a secret he couldn't tell anyone outside of the family. He wasn't even allowed to tell the other magical children from the village, not that there were very many of them.

The return of his father had not brought the great happiness he thought it would. He had always been a happy child but he thought having his father would make everything wonderful. His Momma wouldn't cry anymore. He would have someone to do all those father/son things with like go to the father/son picnic at school. The picnic had come and gone. Nicholas was too afraid to ask his father, afraid he would say no so he made an excuse that his father couldn't go because he had important business in London. He could tell that the others didn't believe him. He had thought his father would be proud of all the magic he could do but instead was disappointed that he wasn't skilled in potions like his sister.

Now his father was holding him close, treating him like a son he was fond of. Did his father care for him after all? For now, he would do what Poppa said and stay here. But if things didn't change, he would leave.

…

Snape felt ten ways a fool. How had he let things get so bad that Nicholas was going to leave the mother and sister he loved. He had buried his head in the sand for too long. He had to make a decision and stick with it. His inaction was hurting everyone.

What that decision would be, he still didn't know. He was hoping that it would come to him once he spoke with Sylvie.

He was waylaid on his way to the forest by Sylvie's great-grandmother. She sprang out at him from nowhere, a four foot nine inch ball of fury, eyes flashing just like Sylvie's when she was angry.

"You. How could you treat my girl so poorly after all she's done for you. She gave up half her life for you." With each sentence, she jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "And you are obviously not worth the sacrifice.

Something clicked in his mind as not being quite right. The way she had said 'gave up half her life for you' and speaking of sacrifice made it sound much more serious than it was. "I know that she gave me her blood and breath to bring me back to life but it has caused her no lasting ill effects." He backed slowly away, out of range of the jabbing finger.

She let out a wail of anger and frustration. "You feking ejit. You're as thick as manure but only half as useful. She didn't just give you her blood and breath. She quite literally gave up half her life for you. She will now only live as half as long as she was supposed to. It was the deal she made with Oberon, the King of the Fae in exchange for the spell that would return you to the realm of the living should you die. It was her greatest fear, that you would die before she was allowed to reveal herself to you in that deal she made with Dumbledore, that sly fox."

He staggered against a tree. This wasn't true. It couldn't be true. She gave up half her life? First the son was willing to give up all he loved and now she had given up half her life. All for him. He covered his face with his hands, wanting to stop up his ears so he would not hear any more but the old witch's voice could not be stopped, telling him about the lengths she had gone to ensure his survival. Would he have given up half his life to save Lily? Absolutely. Had he tried to find another way to keep her safe? No, and his trust in Dumbledore had not been rewarded. Lily had died anyway. He now understood the depth of Sylvie's love for him and he felt ashamed.

Something from a conversation earlier in the day bothered him. "What exactly is a Cait Sidhe?"

"A Cait Sidhe is a witch that has taken the form of a cat. They serve Oberon. It was Lizzie who led us to Oberon in the first place. Lizzie is actually Rhiannon, a very powerful Irish witch from centuries ago. Apparently, we are her descendants which is what attracted her to Sylvie."

It explained a lot about the bond between the woman and cat. He filed away the information for future use. He might have to use Lizzie himself to meet this Oberon.

…

Sylvie wiped away the stray tears. She was such a fool. Anyone else would have realized that you can't bring back the past, especially a past that never happened. Why had she thought this would work? Why had she expected that he would just fall in love with her and everything would be all right? Nothing was right at all. They weren't even really living together as man and wife. After that first time he had given in to his urges, she had expected that their sex life would resume as it was before. Instead they made love very seldom and he seemed ashamed by it afterwards. There was no cuddling, no tender kisses, no foreplay of any kind. Just a slam, bam, thank you mam. Making love, hah. It certainly wasn't love. It wasn't even sex. It was just fucking.

Now what was she going to do. The answer was obvious. She would let him go. She didn't make him happy. The twins didn't make him happy. Life didn't make him happy. She had pushed too hard to make him into the man she had known. That man was gone. And she had always given him shit for hanging onto the past. Now she was doing the same thing. If she had known this was how it would turn out, would she still have made the deal with Oberon? Yes, she would because she loved him. His life and death had been unfair. He needed to find his own purpose and happiness, even if it didn't include her. She would take the twins and return to Canada where there were lots of father figures for them including her own father, her brothers and other family and friends. Canada was a better place to raise them. Ireland was nice but it wasn't her home. Toronto would give them the opportunity to be with many other magical children.

How she was going to explain this to the twins, she did not know. They had found her here, very upset. Up until now, she had always managed to stay her tears in their presence but this time she hadn't been able to control her emotions. And then Nona had found her and got the whole story out of her. Her great-grandmother had hugged her and told her she would make it through but she could hear the unspoken message of 'I told you so.'

Her excellent hearing told her that someone was approaching. Not wanting to speak with anyone, she transformed into the hawk and settled in the branches above the path. To her surprise, Severus appeared. She was sure that he had left forever. He seemed to be looking for someone which was verified when he called out her name. She nearly fell off the branch. Was he looking for her to tell her he had decided that they would move away together as a family? 'Don't be stupid, Sylvie. He probably came back to say a proper goodbye.'

She flew down to face the music. He blinked at her transformation, having forgotten about her animagus.

He didn't know what to say. So much had happened in the last few hours. He was relieved to see that she wasn't angry or crying anymore. Instead, she seemed subdued, beaten. Neither said anything. Silence had never been Sylvie's strong suit so she was first to speak.

"Have you come to say goodbye?"

He was confused. "Why would I do that?"

She would not look at him. Instead, she was looking off to the side, a sure sign that someone was either lying or hiding something. "I told you to go."

"And when have I ever listened to what you said, as you so often tell me."

She looked shyly at him. Was he making a joke? Was Severus Snape, always serious never humourous, actually making a joke? A dictionary definition of humourless would show a picture of Severus Snape. It was a miracle. Had the Severus she had known and loved returned? Hope flickered a tiny flame.

"Nicholas said that you couldn't stop crying."

"I'm in mourning. I'm mourning the loss of the man that you used to be. It was stupid of me to think that things would automatically go back to the way they used to be. We aren't the same people. Nona tried to warn me."

"Ah yes. I had a run-in with your great-grandmother. She enlightened me as to what it actually meant to give up half of your life for me. Why did you do it."

She looked at him in wonderment. Did he actually not know, even though she had told him so many times. "Because I love you. I didn't want you to die. It wasn't fair. After everything you did, death was your reward? Not if I could help it."

He closed his eyes. "Oh Sylvie. Is there any way to get that life back?"

"And why would I want to do that? Everyone else thinks I was foolish to make the deal I did. But I would do it over again. I would rather live half of my life to spend even a little bit of time with you than to live my whole life without you. Oh Severus. I'm not trying to pressure you. I know that you are not happy here. You don't have to stay because you feel guilty about what I gave up for you. I want you to find your happiness and I realize now that you need to do that yourself. I cannot do it for you. It was unfair of me to try to change you. So, you can go with my blessing."

"I don't understand all of this talk about my leaving. What if I don't want to leave?"

Hope burst into an inferno. "Do you want to stay?"

"I would like to try. I admit that I haven't been entirely fair with you either. You were right when you said that I have done nothing to make any changes. I just do not know what to do. When we were married, what did I do in my spare time."

She laughed. "Spare time was not something we had a lot of. In the summer, you would work on potions that interested you. It was something that you enjoyed. That's why I put the position with my brother's company at the top of that pile I gave you. The position is developing new potions and improving on old ones. You could work on your own. You wouldn't have to interact with very many people, something I know you don't like. And you would not have to teach children you despise." There was a little twinkle in her eyes when she said that.

"I will consider it. I just don't know how to do this, how to be a father and a husband."

"I thought you did very well today, with Sophia I mean. How you kept a straight face when she said she was going to turn Mrs. Moore blue, I don't know. I could barely contain my laughter."

He smiled and started to chuckle. When he did that, he resembled the Snape she had known. Maybe there was hope. "You are not alone in this. I will help you with the twins."

"And who will help me with you. I don't know what I should be doing."

She knew he meant more than in the bedroom, but that was a good place to start. "We'll start slowly. Why don't we start with kissing? We used to do a lot of it. Brush your lips against mine."

He did as instructed. She pulled back. "Good. A kiss can start out gentle and turn into something more. Now add some pressure on my lips and more movement, like this." She took his face in her hands and pulled his head down. Their lips met, starting gentle at first and then turning into that something more. Both were breathing heavily as they parted. Her eyes were unfocused.

She gave herself a shake. "A kiss is not just a meeting of the lips. It also involves hands and where you put them. They can just rest on my back or they can move around, explore my body. As the kiss becomes more passionate, you can open your mouth a little. As your hands explore, your mouth can explore as well, nipping the earlobe, kissing down the neck, wherever you can think of."

She drew back, ready to end the lesson there before she got too hot and bothered but he was having none of that. His hands rested on her back as he placed his lips on hers again. This time his lips were more urgent, not gently brushing against hers but pushing against them. As his mouth moved over hers, his hands ran up and down her back, caressed her face, buried themselves in her hair to pull her closer. She gave up trying to control the pace and gave herself fully to the kiss. She would just take care of things herself later.

He drew here down to the ground. They lay side by side, arms wrapped around each other. She stopped, gasping for breath. "Someone could come at any moment. We'd best continue this another time and in a more private place."

"We can make this private." With a flick of his wand, he sealed them off from any prying eyes. "The lessons are going so well. We wouldn't want to stop the momentum. What comes next?"

Was he ready to continue? She could detect none of the reluctance that had marred their lovemaking before. She certainly was ready. Why not go a bit further? Whispering, she said as she sat up, "Now we loosen some clothing to allow more access to the more sensitive parts of the body." She undid the buttons on her blouse and took his hand. Slipping it underneath her bra, she placed his fingertips on her swollen nipple. She moaned in response as he caressed the swelling.

His eyes were pitch black as he watched their foreplay. He was enjoying this immensely. The difference was that he no longer felt guilty about taking pleasure from her. He had made his decision and would work to make it a good one. It was like it had been the very first time she had seduced him. Free of inhibitions, he allowed his fingers and mouth to go where they elicited the most response from her. She reached around, undid her bra. His eager hands pulled her top down, exposing her breasts. Placing both hands underneath, his thumbs brushed against the tips. She squirmed and cried out.

"Are there any other places to touch," he asked huskily.

She wanted him to touch her there so badly. Drawing his mouth down to her breast, she guided his hand under her skirt, past her underwear to that spot between her legs. Already wet from her desire, she rubbed his finger along the folds, faster and faster until she could hold back no more. A loud cry announced that she had reached her peak, her legs tightening around his hand.

She rolled over, pinning him to the ground with her weight. He was still fully clothed. Undoing his trousers, she pulled out his penis. She ran her hand down its length and up. Straddling him, she lowered herself slowly onto him and started to rock. Grabbing her hips, he desperately pumped for a few moments and groaned his release.

After rearranging their clothing, she lightly kissed him. "You may not like teaching, but you certainly are a fast learner."

…

Sylvie hid behind her book, surreptitiously watching her husband and children. After their encounter in the woods, the last few weeks had definitely improved their relationship but she recognized that it would never be as it once was. She knew he was trying very hard to adapt to his new life. She, in turn, tried to do what she could to help him which included giving him space when he needed it. He was giving the children lessons. Sophia, proudly wearing the Slytherin scarf he bestowed on her when she had mastered a particularly difficult potion (difficult for a four year old) was intently stirring the contents of her cauldron. Nicholas was practicing the levitation spell on his father's old stuffed bear. Severus kept an eye on both children, offering suggestions when needed. He was becoming much better with them, more patient and even more affectionate.

A knock on the door disturbed the quiet of the room. Sylvie rose to answer it, not wanting to disrupt the lessons that were going so well. She opened the door and saw a person she never expected to see on her doorstep.


	14. Chapter 14

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

_If today was your last day  
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?  
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars  
Regardless of who you are_

So do whatever it takes  
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life  
Let nothing stand in your way  
'Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?  
Would you live each moment like your last?  
Leave old pictures in the past?  
Donate every dime you had?  


Sylvie, who could always think up a lie, who was never tongue tied, was flabbergasted to see Minerva McGonagall waiting outside. "Minerva," she gasped.

The woman looked surprised to be addressed so familiarly. She quickly amended, "Professor McGonagall." Remembering that she was supposed to have no idea who this woman was, she lapsed into a simple "hello". Her brain started thinking up excuses as to why she knew the woman standing in front of her. She would say that she had heard a description of McGonagall from her mother. That was the best she could think of for now.

McGonagall was trying to peer around her body into the house. Sylvie stepped outside and tried to close the door behind her. McGonagall had stuck one foot in before the opening closed and was pushing at it from the side. McGonagall had the advantage of height in the battle for the front door but Sylvie summoned up her strength from desperation.

"Aren't you going to ask me in?"

"Sorry, normally I would but the house is a mess. It's not fit for company.

McGonagall spat out between gritted teeth, "I really don't care about the state of your housekeeping. I need to speak with you inside. I know you are hiding someone."

Nicholas ran up to the front door and wedged himself in the space McGonagall had created. He looked up at her with fear. "Have you come for me?"

The question made both woman stop and look at him with astonishment. "Nicholas, what are you talking about?"

"I did something really bad, something I wasn't supposed to do." His guilty eyes couldn't meet hers.

"What did you do Nicholas…" she almost said Snape but she caught herself in time.

"I know we're not supposed to use magic in front of someone else, but Momma, I was so bored. Remember that time it rained all week and I went to Robert's house? He said he had a trick, that he could make a match burn twice. I know we are not supposed to play with matches but I thought he was a wizard too and was going to show off his magic."

Sylvie groaned. That 'trick' had been around when she was in school. "And so when he lit the match and then burned you with it, what did you do?"

He took his wand out. "Lumos." Light shone from the wand. He was starting to cry. "I'm sorry, Momma. But I got carried away and wanted to show off some real magic. He didn't believe it was magic anyway. He said I had a battery in the wand. I would have showed him more but his Mum came in with a snack."

Sylvie sighed. "Oh Nicholas. Robert didn't believe the magic. Besides, Robert's Mum knows you are a wizard. There are some witches and wizards in her family. We had a discussion about it when you first became friends with Robert. Professor McGonagall isn't here to take you away."

The witch looked intently at him. "Child, where is your father."

Both Sylvie and Nicholas spoke at the same time, "He's inside." "He's dead." Nicholas looked at his mother strangely. Why was she lying?

The door was opened from inside by Severus Snape himself. "It's all right, Sylvie. There is no use in trying to hide my existence. Minerva can be very tenacious."

McGonagall gasped. Even though she knew that there was a strong possibility that he was behind the door, it still shocked her to see him. "So it's true," she whispered. "You are alive."

Sylvie advanced on her with her wand out. "To you, he is dead. You will turn around, go home and forget that you ever saw him. I don't want to hurt you, Minerva, but I will not let you take my husband. I worked too hard to bring him back to have you take him to Azkaban." At her words, the twins immediately whipped out their wands.

She held up empty hands in self defense. "I have no intention of taking him to Azkaban. Why would you think that?"

"Because of the part he played. He is not who you think he is." Sylvie's eyes were flashing at her.

McGonagall stiffened her spine. "I know exactly who he is. That was made very clear by Harry Potter and by Albus Dumbledore. I know about your part as a double agent for Albus. I know the orders he gave you, including the order to kill him when the time was right." The twins were looking at her, their mouths and eyes wide open.

"Nicholas, Sophia, outside. Go visit Nona. Do not tell anyone about the woman here." She zeroed in on the weak link. "Promise me, Nicholas, that you will say nothing about our unexpected visitor."

"I promise I won't tell anyone," he said in a small voice. The twins scampered out the front door. Of course, they didn't go visit Nona. Nicholas had promised not to tell anyone. He hadn't promised to leave the vicinity of the house.

"We have to find out what's going on," he said to his sister.

She nodded, put her finger to her lips in a shushing motion and then beckoned him to follow her. Together, they lifted the door to the coal shute that led to the basement. They crept up the stairs until they were close enough to hear the conversation.

"Voldemort is definitely gone for good. The majority of the remaining Death Eaters have been sent to Azkaban. Which is why I am here. I have come to warn you. The siblings, Alecto and Amycus Carrow escaped capture. Alecto saw Sylvie take your body after you were attacked by Nagini. She set a tracing spell on you and has followed it, determined to exact her revenge on Severus."

"Why is she after Severus," Sylvie asked.

"She blames him for Voldemort's defeat. After the battle, Harry Potter revealed that your actions were all part of a plot by Dumbledore. It has been widely spoken about in the wizarding world. No doubt she saw an article about it or heard about it. She wants to punish you for betraying Voldemort," McGonagall explained.

"There are two things I don't understand. How did Harry Potter know about the double cross and how do you know that the Carrows are after Sev?"

"The one thing I can answer," he responded. "Just before death, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger came upon me in the Shrieking Shack. I gave him the memories that would help him defeat Voldemort. Those memories included the fact that a small part of Voldemort was in his scar. Voldemort could not die until Potter himself died."

"Those silvery threads you drew out of your head and gave to Potter. Those were your memories?"

"You saw that?"

"Nona and I were hidden in our animagus forms. We watched the whole thing. Just before we took you away, a woman appeared. I take it that was Alecto Carrow? She was rather squat and looked like she spent her early years sucking on lemons. She must have cast the tracing spell on me then before I knocked her out."

"Most probably."

"Alecto Carrow approached Lucius Malfoy with her information. She was hoping he would help her. He called the Ministry on her but she was already gone, suspecting his own double cross."

"Malfoy!" Sylvie erupted. "I'm surprised he is still a free man."

"His family actually helped with the cause. Draco denied recognizing them at Malfoy Manor to his aunt Bellatrix. Also, Narcissa told Voldemort that Potter was dead when he actually was alive. That is what kept them out of Azkaban, although many still thought they should go to prison."

"So he slips through again," Sylvie mused.

"Yes, but he doesn't have the influence he once had. Did you die, Severus, and if so, how did you come back to life?"

Sylvie answered that question. "Yes, he did die but I found a spell to bring him back to life."

"Is that so? Where did you find this spell."

Sylvie squirmed. What she had given up was private between her and Nona and now Severus. "I'd rather not say."

The twins looked at each other, curious. They had not known that Poppa had actually died. They just thought he was seriously ill when Momma brought him back from the war.

McGonagall let it go. "If you are interested, you can always come back to Hogwarts. You are welcome to teach Potions there. I'm sure Slughorn is ready to retire again."

He didn't speak. The twins looked at each other with excitement. They would go live in a magical school. Sophia was thinking of all the potions materials she would be able to gather, things that weren't available to her here. Nicholas was keen to explore the Forbidden Forest. Sylvie, however, didn't look that keen to return to Hogwarts.

He was saved from answering when the front door was blasted open. In the entryway stood Alecto Carrow. "Snape," she screeched. "You are supposed to be dead. Traitor. He trusted you! You are lower than a snake's belly in a ditch. You will pay. I won't kill you right away. That's too good for you. But know this. In the end, you will die!"

While she delivered this diatribe, the others slipped in and surrounded the three in the room. Instinctively, the three formed a circle, their backs to each other, wands out.

"McGonagall. Perfect. I've wanted to eviscerate you for months, you self-righteous bitch. And who is this? She took you from the Shrieking Shack. Since strangers do not kidnap dead bodies, you somehow know each other. Is she your sister, a cousin?" When no one responded, she said, "Some slut you've picked up for a night? What do you think, Amycus? Is she a worthy prize?"

His eyes gleamed with lust. "Don't kill her. I'll have a shagging good time with this one. Maybe I'll give her to young Badon when I'm done." The werewolf looked up hopefully. "But I won't be done with her for a long time."

Snape's face turned on them in pure hatred. "This is my wife." Sylvie gasped. She had never heard him acknowledge their relationship, even if it was with people who wanted to kill them.

"Wife," screamed Alecto. "All this time you've had a wife!" With full battle cry, she threw a curse at Snape which he deflected. This was the signal that the fight was on. The three were attacked from all sides. Because of their positioning, they were able to block the attacks. As Alecto had predicted, Dax, the old wizard, was the weakest, being knocked out within the first minute. Gradually, the trio was able to send attacking spells rather than just protecting. The two of them worked well together, Sylvie blocking while he attacked and vice versa.

The battle did not last very long. Badon was soon bound and immobilized by Snape. Amycus was knocked out by Sylvie, leaving only Alecto and Jade. It was becoming obvious to Jade that their opponents were more skilled in magic than the two of them and considered making a run for it. That distraction was enough for McGonagall to blast the witch unconscious. Alecto stood alone. The three stopped their attack but kept their wands raised. They relaxed somewhat and moved away from their tight circle formation.

"It's over, Alecto. Not that you ever had a hope of succeeding. You never were able to control your emotions enough to perform superior magic," he goaded as he bound her with magical rope.

Sylvie turned to do the same to Amycus. Quick as a striking snake, he knocked her wand away, jumped up and grabbed her by the throat, his wand against her head, holding her hostage. Everyone froze. "I told you this was a stupid idea, Alecto. You," he pointed at Snape and McGonagall, "will unbind my friends and we will leave. I'll be taking this one with me until we are safely away."

"No," she screamed. "Not until Snape is dead!"

"You stupid cow! We are lucky that we got away this long. We could be in Azkaban like everyone else. I'm not going to throw away my freedom for the likes of him. For the likes of you maybe." He licked Sylvie's cheek. She shuddered in distaste. Snape's eyes turned blacker than she had ever seen them. "This time, you are going to do as I say. No man is worth death."

The others, having been released, were nodding in agreement and making for the door. Before they could reach it, the door was flung open by a powerful force. In the doorway stood Nicholas, clasping his wooden toy sword in front of him. The sight was so incongruous that everyone stopped. Snape saw Nicholas look up and give a quick nod. He followed the line of vision to spy Sophia, crouched on top of the cabinet, her wand aimed at Amycus' head. The others were too astonished to see the exchange between the twins.

"Let go of my Momma." Nicholas advanced on Amycus and whacked him in the knee with his toy sword. Several things happened at once. Sophia cast the Furnunculus Curse, causing Amycus to scream in pain as huge boils covered his head. Sylvie flipped Amycus over onto his back and kicked him viciously in the groin. He didn't know whether to attend to the pain on his face or the pain in his testicles. He compromised by putting one hand on each. Snape bound him while McGonagall enclosed the others in a cage, except for Alecto, who was out of range.

Alecto gave a scream of rage. No one knew what spell she used but it hit Sylvie. She collapsed as if dead.

It is only after you lose something or someone that you realize their value. When he saw Sylvie fall to the ground, Snape realized that he loved her. He did. He was in love with this intelligent, sexy, impossible witch. Unlike his relationship with Lily, she loved him as well in a mature, adult way. He didn't idolize her as he had Lily. She had her flaws but so did he.

And now she had been taken away from him, killed not by Voldemort, but by one of his followers. His hatred filled the room as he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" He didn't bother to watch Alecto hit the floor but was instantly at Sylvie's side, gathering her in his arms, his sobs racking his body.

He felt small hands touching his face, felt her body shift in his embrace, felt her eyes upon him. Slowly, he raised his head to look into her concerned face. She wasn't dead. She had only been knocked out.

"Severus, are you all right? Did she hurt you?"

Not physically, he thought. "I was afraid you were dead. I love you, Sylvie Turner."

Her eyes grew as huge as dinner plates. "Do you really mean it? You don't have to say it just because you're expected to say it."

He chuckled. "And when have I ever done something because others expect it?"

She laughed with him. "Never."

"I hate to break up this tender moment," McGonagall interjected dryly, "but we have a bit of a situation here." She jerked her head towards the prisoners and the dead body.

He sighed heavily. "This definitely bars me from returning to Hogwarts. I've used the killing curse, strictly forbidden."

"Let's not be hasty," McGonagall said. "The killing curse could have been uttered by one of these and hit Alecto instead of the intended target. Memories can be altered."

He was quiet for a moment. "No. I will not return to Hogwarts. I intend to stay 'deceased', at least in this country. It's time for us to move on with our lives and that involves moving across the ocean."

"Do you mean all of us, sir," Nicholas questioned.

"Of course I mean all of us." He drew the twins onto his lap. "We are a family, aren't we."

It was decided that the miscreants would be 'discovered' living in the abandoned house by the clan chief, a former student of McGonagalls. They were quickly subdued but Alecto was hit with the killing curse that was aimed at the clan chief herself. The authorities would be called and they would be carted off to Azkaban. All of this would occur tomorrow, after they had packed and moved up to the castle to stay until they decided on their final destination.

After the clan chief had taken the prisoners away to alter their memories and to be held in the dungeon, McGonagall listened to more of their story.

"There is one thing I do not understand." She looked straight at Sophia. "Where did you learn the Furnunculus Curse?"

"And how were you able to cast it on a Junior wand? Those wands only allow simple, harmless spells."

Sophia and Nicholas looked at each other uncomfortably. "I was looking at one of your spell books, Poppa and I happened to find it," she explained.

"That still doesn't explain how you were able to cast such a spell with that wand."

Nicholas spoke up. "We found a book at the castle that talked about wand making. Sophia and I made our wands stronger. We learned all those baby spells. We wanted to do big kid spells."

McGonagall just shook her head and turned to the couple. "You have your hands full with those two. Their precocious selves could get into a lot of trouble."

Sylvie was nodding at this but Snape shook his head. "Now that they have a strong male figure in their lives, I think they will behave." He gave them a look intended to quell any opposition. The twins looked back at him with big eyes. He softened his look.

Sylvie shook her head. 'Strong male figure my foot. They will have him wrapped around their little fingers soon enough, especially Sophia who is so much like him.' But she kept her thoughts to herself.

McGonagall turned to them. "Let me know how things work out for you. Is there anything I can do for you before I go."

He said slowly, "Yes, there is one thing I would ask of you. I would like to use the Pensive." He looked at Sylvie. "You have memories of our time together at Hogwarts, before our future was altered. I want to see those memories."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Severus," was all she could say.

"May we use the Pensive before we leave?"

"Of course."


	15. Chapter 15

Happy Endings

_One thing I know about  
The rest of my life  
I know that I'll be  
Living it in Canada_

Professor McGonagall looked out over the Hall as the students inhaled their breakfast. Life at Hogwarts had been quiet and that was a good thing, a bit dull but a good thing she reminded herself. A flurry of owls brought packages, letters and newspapers. An owl dropped a letter at her place. Examination of the envelope showed that it had come from Canada. Smiling, she tucked it away for private perusal. Albus and the other Headmasters would like to hear its contents.

Secluded in her office, she eagerly opened the envelope. A picture of a baby holding a tartan covered rabbit fell out of the envelope. She smiled softly as the baby waved the rabbit at her. She began to read aloud.

_Dear Minerva,_

_I hope everything is well for you and Hogwarts. Everything is wonderful here. As you can see from the picture, Graylan is thrilled with his new toy that you gave him. His fingers caressing the soft ears helps him fall asleep at night. It is so adorable how his little body curls around the bunny when we give it to him. God help us if we can't find it at bedtime! _

_The twins have started all day school and are quite excited about it. It is a magic academy that spends half the day with magical subjects and half the day with what you would call muggle subjects, like reading and math. Nicholas, with his easy-going friendly nature has made lots of friends. The more reserved Sophia has a few special friends she spends time with. Severus continues to give them private lessons which makes them much more advanced in magic than their classmates. Oh well. They will catch up some year. _

_Severus is doing better than I had imagined. He enjoys his job developing new potions and he has actually made some friends and by that I mean real friends, people that he talks to and invites over to dinner. Now that his life has a purpose, he is so much happier than we were in Ireland. Smiling is coming more natural to him. He has also started a new job teaching Advanced Potions once a week at the university in Seattle. As you remember, Seattle is quite close to Vancouver so it's a simple matter of using a port key there and back. It is so different from Hogwarts. For one thing, he is instructing adults who are 'almost' as talented as he (there may actually be some that are more talented than he but I would never say that to his face). He is also challenged to come up with new curriculum that will interest his students._

_Another change is his role as a father. He spends more time with Nicholas and Sophia than ever. And he changes Graylan's diapers. Can you imagine, Severus changing diapers. He would never change Nicholas and Sophia in our other life."_

She looked up. She didn't see the big fuss about changing diapers. Isn't that something that every parent did? But what did she know about it, since she never had children. Albus was chuckling. "Severus changing diapers. Now there is something I'd like to witness."

_I myself am very happy, tired but happy. Gray is an energetic baby and you know what the twins are like. After Christmas, I'll start back teaching at the school a couple of mornings a week. I look forward to having adult conversation again. You must, must, must come visit over summer. The twins are still talking about your last visit. I think it does Severus some good to see someone from his old life. The scars are finally healing. He hasn't had a nightmare about that time for many months now. Even though they don't remember me, my best to all at Hogwarts._

_Love, Sylvie._

…

An ocean and a continent away, some hours later, Severus Snape pulled on his cloak. His wife lay sleeping, her body curled around their son, Graylan. He usually did not sleep with them but he had had a difficult night with his teething. An exhausted Sylvie had finally brought him back to bed with her. Looking at the two of them brought a flood of emotions. He never thought he would fall in love again, have a family, have a normal life. He was an incredibly lucky man that he had been given a second chance at life.

Quietly closing the door, he went to the kitchen to get the twins ready for school. It was just another day in the recovered life of Severus Snape.


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue

Harry Potter stood at the edge of the gated driveway, positive that he was at the wrong address. But it was too late now. The taxi that brought him here from the airport had already left. Why did he think he was at the wrong house? For one thing, it was large, in a posh area of Vancouver, with a well tended lawn and gardens out front. He had always pictured him living in a dark hovel, much like his classroom. For another thing, there were three cars in the driveway. Harry was sure that the person he had come to see would never participate in a muggle activity like driving a car.

Maybe he was renting a smaller house on the back of the property that Harry could not see. There was only one way to find out. Since the gate was open, he ventured up the driveway and knocked on the ornate wooden doors. Maybe this was a magical house after all. He recognized some of the runes that were carved into the wood. If Hermione were here, she could no doubt tell him what every one meant. But it was only himself here. As charged in McGonagall's will, he had told no one his destination, just saying that he had to deliver something for McGonagall that he was not allowed to talk about. Ron and Ginny's curiosity had been almost overwhelming. He kept his mouth shut as he still felt the tingling from the unbreakable vow. Rubbing his arm unconsciously, he stepped back as the door opened.

Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of a female Snape. Of course she wasn't exactly like Snape but the resemblance was astonishing. She was, with absolute certainty, related to Snape. She was tall, tall enough to look Harry in the eyes. Her long, black, straight hair was pulled into a side ponytail but it was not greasy, like Snape's. The nose! The eyes! Those cold black marbles regarded him impassively. Of course there were differences. She was thin but did not have Snape's scrawny build. She was also not dressed as a witch but was wearing a black tunic with white leggings and black flats. She looked very stylish. Her age was early twenties, Harry judged. She was not what others would consider pretty but there was something about her. Handsome was a good descriptive, regal, perhaps.

"Can I help you," she said imperiously.

Harry stuttered. "Ah, I'm looking for Professor Snape."

And then she grinned broadly. It was amazing. It totally transformed her face, turning it into a face of beauty. "Well, you've found her."

Harry gaped. Had Snape been transformed into a young female? 'Don't be stupid, Harry. She must be his daughter.' Aloud he said, "I'm looking for Severus Snape."

A brief look of disappointment marred her features. Although Harry had no way of knowing, Sophia had recently attained a position that gave her the title of Professor. It thrilled her to have someone call her that. "You are looking for my father. Come in. I'll fetch him for you."

She opened the door to a luxurious foyer. The inside of the house matched the expensive outside. From the hallway came a voice Harry had never thought to hear again.

"Who was at the door, Sophia?" Snape appeared, his head down looking though his mail. He looked older, his face more heavily lined, streaks of silver shot throughout his hair. Even so, he looked better than Harry had ever seen him. Still wearing black, but his clothing seemed to fit him better. The grease was gone from his hair and skin no longer looked so sallow. He looked healthier.

Looking up at Harry, the mail fell from his lifeless fingers onto the hardwood floor. His jaw was slack. He no longer looked healthy but looked ready to keel over. There was a screech from the staircase to the left and a short, robust witch flew down the stairs to his side. "Sev, what's wrong! Are you having a heart attack?" It did look like his heart had stopped.

She was an attractive witch, a bit chubby with curly hair and big blue eyes. Kneeling before him, she followed his gaze and screamed again, "Oh my God, it's Harry Potter!"

Snape children of different ages came from everywhere. He could pick out individual phrases in the babble of noise that ensued such as "Harry Potter! Where? Are you all right, Poppa?"

"Settle down. I am all right," Snape assured them.

"Perhaps we could go somewhere private? I have some sad tidings," Harry suggested.

"Let's go into the living room," the witch, whom Harry guessed to be Snape's wife, suggested. "Hannah, could you bring in some tea and a little something sweet?"

"Yes, Momma," replied the youngest, a pretty teen who strongly resembled her mother. She had dark curly hair, like her mother, was short and slightly plump with green eyes. She had escaped inheriting the Snape nose but had a small upturned nose like her mother.

The other Snape children looked quite disappointed to be left out of the conversation. They reluctantly shuffled elsewhere as their mother shooed them away with her hands. Harry counted four in total. She led them into a comfortable room with chairs, couches, and a fireplace.

As they sat down, Harry asked, "Do I know you, ma'am?"

She laughed. "In a way, yes but at the same time, we have never met to your knowledge." Now there was an enigmatic answer. She asked a question of her own. "How long have you known that Severus was alive?"

"I've just learned of it recently, which is the reason I am here. I was asked to come here as part of a request in a will. I am sorry to tell you that Minerva McGonagall has passed away."

There was a small scream and a tray filled with tea and sweets crashed to the floor. Bits of china sprayed everywhere. It was the girl, Hannah. She had a look of horror on her face. Her hands flew up to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears. "Aunt Minnie is dead?"

"Teeny," called out the witch. A house elf appeared. "Could you please clean this up and bring us another tray. Hannah, are you all right? Did you get splashed by hot tea or cut by the china?"

Her eyes brimming, she shook her head. She turned to her husband, "Severus, could you take Hannah out and make sure she is OK?" He acquiesced without a backwards glance and drew his daughter into the hall. He partially closed the door but it swung ajar so that Harry could witness the scene in the hall. Snape hugged his daughter and stroked her hair while she cried. It was so incongruous to the Snape he remembered that all he could do was gape.

As if reading his mind, the witch said, "He has changed since you knew him at Hogwarts. Although you will find this hard to believe considering how much he hated teaching children at Hogwarts, he is an excellent father and husband. Hannah was Minerva's favourite. She was the only one allowed to call her 'Aunt Minnie'." She grinned at him. "Probably a name you would never associate with Professor McGonagall."

"No, ma'am."

"Stop calling me ma'am. You're making me feel like 100 years old. My name is Sylvie. I am Severus' wife. I'm pleased to meet you again, Harry Potter," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"I have a question. Does Professor Snape drive an auto?"

She laughed heartily. "Severus does many things he would never do in his other life but driving does not happen to be one of them. The cars out front belong to me and the twins. Although, when Sophia goes away for her new job, Graylan will use her car."

She asked about his life and Ron and Hermione. He briefly filled her in on the details of their lives after Hogwarts. By this time, Snape had finished comforting his daughter and had returned to the room, closing the door resolutely behind him. The house elf brought in a new tray.

After the tea was poured, Harry said, "If I may ask, how is it that you are alive? I was positive that you were dead when we left the Shrieking Shack."

Snape, with the help of his wife, told their story of a life stolen and recovered. It was an incredible tale, almost unbelievable but the proof was sitting in front of him and McGonagall had alluded to most of it in her letter to him. At the end of the story, Sylvie asked, "I'm sure you didn't come all this way to simply tell us that Minerva died. Do you have another reason for your visit?"

"Yes, she entrusted me with a few articles to be given to you."

"But still, you could have just sent the articles. You didn't have to personally deliver them."

"Yes, actually, I did have to personally deliver them. It was a condition of the will."

"Hmmm, I wonder why she did that. Perhaps she thought the two of you have some unfinished business." She suddenly raised her wand. The door flew open, catching off guard the Snape children who had been standing right outside, no doubt listening in on the conversation. It reminded Harry of the time they had tried to listen to the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix at the home of Sirius Black. They looked guilty but their mother simply waved them into the room.

"This is Mr. Harry Potter. These are our children. The twins, Sophia and Nicholas are the oldest." The young woman he had met at the door and a young man gave a wave. Nicholas had short curly dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He looked more like his mother but the shape of his face and the nose was all Snape. He was tall and slender, like his sister and was wearing what he would call 'muggle clothes', a long sleeved white shirt and brown chinos. Smiling, he looked friendly like his mother.

"This is our middle child, Graylan and our youngest, Hannah." Graylan was in his late teens and was wearing a football uniform. He had his father's black hair cut short with bangs that fell over his eyes. He had his mother's blue eyes and small nose but had the Snape height and build. "Don't you have soccer practice now, Gray," his mother asked.

"Momma, do you honestly think I would miss Harry Potter being in our house to go to soccer practice?" He scoffed at this ridiculous idea.

"Silly me. Of course not," she deadpanned.

The twins made themselves comfortable on a love seat. Graylan took a chair and Hannah sat at her parent's feet, leaning against her mother's legs. Sylvie ran a hand absentmindedly through her daughter's hair.

Snape continued the discourse. "As you have heard, Minerva McGonagall has passed away. This is not a surprise as we knew that she was very ill but that doesn't lessen the grief that we feel at her passing. Mr. Potter has come to deliver the news and to distribute a few things that she had left in her will for us." They all turned to look at Harry.

"Right." He started to pull items from his bag, personal things that had value and meaning to the person to whom it was left. There were little things like rings, as well as books. The books looked very old and probably valuable and covered a wide variety of subjects such as potions (those went to the oldest daughter), magical creatures, herbs, spells, ancient charms and such. The Snape children were delighted with the bequest. To Sylvie, she also left a small statue of a cat. When she caught sight of it, she cooed and stroked it reverently. The final item in the bag was another sack which he handed to Snape. He started to pull out books, potions and other personal items.

"Are those the things you left behind at Hogwarts," his wife asked.

"Yes, I can't believe she kept them." He seemed to be searching for something. Finally, he pulled out a book, opened it up and took out a photo which had been ripped in half. He handed it to Harry. "I don't need this anymore. Very little was left of your parent's personal possessions."

It was his mother, smiling out at him. It was true that he had very little from his parents which made the photo precious to him. "Thank you."

Snape nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Sylvie sprang into action. She jumped up from her seat and clapped her hands. "All right. Let's all take our things and put them away. And then I have something to say to you in the kitchen." As they all started to rise, she pushed her husband back down in his seat. "Sev, you stay here and entertain our guest. I'll take your things. I won't be long."

Snape looked extremely uncomfortable. Being alone in the room with Harry Potter was last on his list of things he would most like to do. After she had bustled the children out, there was an uncomfortable silence. Harry desperately tried to think of something to say.

He burst out with "Your wife and children are lovely."

His face softened. "They are remarkable." After another minute of silence he said, "I suppose you are disappointed in me."

Harry was shocked that those words actually came out of Snape's mouth. Since when had Snape ever cared what Harry thought and why would he be disappointed. Sylvie was right. He had change a great deal.

"Disappointed about what," he asked, confused.

"I married and had children. I went on to a life that didn't include her memory."

It all fell into place. Snape thought that he had betrayed his mother, Lily Evans. "Not at all. Why shouldn't you find peace and happiness with a family of your own. My mother valued you as a friend. She chose my father as a husband. You made a vow to protect me and you did that. Without you and everything you did, I might not have defeated Voldemort. You have honoured my mother's memory. I think she would have been glad that you found love with someone else."

Snape did not look at Harry but was looking out the window at the past. "Maybe you are right. Not long after I decided to stay with Sylvie, I had a dream in which your mother told me to let go of the past. She gave me her blessing to live with Sylvie and the twins."

"Sir, I never had the chance but I would like to say thank you for all the things you did. I know you never liked me."

Snape sighed. "It was just that you looked so much like your father. Your presence brought back all those things that happened at school. And when Lupin and Black showed up as your champions…"

"My father was a real prat back then."

"Yes, he was. But as Sylvie so often reminds me, the past is in the past. I'm living for the present and the future now."

Sylvie chose that moment to come back into the room with the children. After some idle chitchat, Harry broached the subject of maintaining secrecy. "Your name has been cleared. You could return to England if you wanted to."

"Minerva made me such an offer many years ago. I am happy here. There is nothing for me in England. I would like things to stay just the way they are."

"But Sev, you know that the fact of your continued existence is bound to come out sooner or later. If Mr. Potter wishes to tell others that you are still alive, I see no harm in it."

He waved it off as something he did not wish to discuss. "Mr. Potter is free to make his own decision."

With that, they made their goodbyes. Although they would never be good friends, Severus had no doubt that Sylvie would send Christmas cards, etc. to the Potters. One of his worst fears had been realized. He had met Harry Potter after his 'death'. It hadn't been tumultuous but anticlimactic. He realized that that life was truly over. He was content with his wife, family and work just as Harry Potter also seemed content with his lot in life. For once, Snape did not begrudge Potter any good fortune. He had truly grown to be a man content in his own skin.

…

Neville Longbottom was transplanting his prized Mimbulus mimbletonia seedlings into larger pots. Although he enjoyed imparting his love of plants to his students, he also enjoyed this time of year when there were no students around and he could spend his time in the quiet of the greenhouse. In a few days, this time would come to an end as the students returned to Hogwarts.

The door to the greenhouse opened. He could hear the voice of the Headmaster in the distance, speaking to someone else. No doubt this was the new Potions Master. The Headmaster had great hopes for this instructor, something about it being in the blood. Like the Defense Against the Dark Arts position before it, the position of Potions Professor seemed to be cursed. Since the defeat of Voldemort, they had had the same person instruct the Defense Against the Dark Arts class but had had over ten different Potions instructors since the death of Snape. Neville looked up with distaste at the thought of meeting yet another Potions master. It wasn't the fault of the person. They were probably quite pleasant but he had such bad memories of Potions with Snape that he could not seem to warm to anyone teaching Potions. 'I will try to give this person a chance,' he chided himself.

"Sophia, I would like you to meet Professor Neville Longbottom. He is our Herbology Master. Neville, I would like to present…" The rest of what the Headmaster was saying was drowned out by the ringing in his ears. He had looked up at their approach to see a young woman with thick straight black hair, a prominent nose and eyes as black as night. It couldn't be. A female Snape. His vision clouded and he collapsed to the floor.

For years to come, Sophia Snape would tell the story of how Neville Longbottom had fainted at the sight of her at their first meeting.

The End


End file.
